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Arief Safari, a member of the Research and Development Commission of BPKN (National Consumer Protection Agency), supports the creation of a policy framework based on risk reduction for vapes.

Some government groups in Europe have supported the principle of reducing risks posed by tobacco cigarettes through alternative nicotine delivery products such as vapes, to lower the high number of smokers. Several other countries like the UK and Italy also agree with this by lowering excise taxes on e-liquid products.

"The use of these alternative products must be supported by regulations based on scientific studies. This research is important so that rumors circulating without scientific basis do not emerge and are eventually considered as truth, which could be counterproductive to the government's efforts to reduce the impact of smoking," Arief said.

Meanwhile, according to Garindra Kartasasmita, Secretary-General of the Indonesian Personal Vaporizer Association (APVI), alternative tobacco products can reach all segments of society, from upper-middle to lower-middle class. Therefore, the excise tax applied to alternative tobacco products significantly influences consumer considerations when purchasing these products.

However, many countries abroad have decided to implement low excise tax rates because they realize that excise tax greatly influences the risk factors of tobacco products. In fact, some countries do not apply excise taxes at all to alternative tobacco products.

Garindra believes that if excise taxes are lower for alternative tobacco products like e-cigarettes or vapes, it would certainly open up opportunities to reduce smoking prevalence and provide wider access for consumers who want to switch from cigarettes to safer products.

Source: Tribunnews