Cigarette Consumption Control, the University of Indonesia

Without a concerted effort to control cigarette consumption, Indonesia will likely fail to achieve the so-called “demographic dividend” which is expected to materialize between 2020 and 2030, an analyst said. Abdillah Ahsan, a researcher from the University of Indonesia (UI) School of Economics Demographic Institute, said that increased cigarette consumption could tamper with the Indonesian population’s quality of life. Indonesia is expected to enjoy its first ever “window of opportunity” between 2020 and 2030, during which the country’s dependency ratio will reach 44 per 100 people in productive age. This means that in a family with four members, three of four persons in the family would be economically capable of supporting one family member. The dependency ratio in Indonesia stood at 86 per 100 people at productive age in 1987, meaning that one person had to work to cover the basic needs of another family member. “I am worried that we may not be able to achieve the demographic bonus unless we take tougher measures to control the cigarette consumption in our country,” he said. Abdillah said that the demographic dividend could be the country’s golden moment in improving the people’s welfare. “During the period, Indonesia can have more chances to improve prosperity because while people are productive, they are less of a burden in the family, which can thereby save or invest income they earn in a more productive way,” said Abdillah. Abdillah further said that the demographic dividend could mean a better future for Indonesia.