Indonesia Needs More Non-Tobacco Products Research

english.jpnn.com, JAKARTA - The scientific studies development on alternative tobacco products is still too minimal in Indonesia.

Indonesian government should encourage research collaboration on alternative tobacco products with relevant stakeholders, including academics, government institutions, and industry players.

Researcher of the Pharmacy School of the Bandung Institute of Technology (SF-ITB), Emran Kartasmita, explained, research on alternative tobacco products is still not widely carried out in Indonesia.

As a product that applies the harm reduction concept, stakeholders should encourage more scientific studies that examine alternative tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine bags.

The research is not to encourage non-smokers to become consumers of alternative tobacco products.

“Instead, it provides a lower-risk product alternative for smokers who have difficulty quitting and encourages them to switch to the product,” said Emran on Wednesday (21/9).

According to Emran, the government, academics, research institutions, and business actors in the industry can collaborate to conduct scientific studies on topics relevant to alternative tobacco products.

Later on, the collaboration will produce comprehensive research and it is necessary to ensure that the facts about alternative tobacco products are accessible to the public.