UNAIR NEWS – Just a while ago, the Finance Ministry stated that cigarettes had become the second largest expenditure, after rice, among poor households. Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, further revealed data that cigarette spending is even higher than protein. Responding to the phenomenon, Universitas Airlangga Economic Sociology expert, Prof Dr. Bagong Suyanto Drs MSi shared his professional thought.

The phenomenon has long drawn public concern. “It has been a long-standing problem. Where the money that should be used to put nutritious food on the table for the family members, is used to buy cigarettes instead,” said the Dean of UNAIR Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP).

Association between smoking and poverty

Dr. Bagong believed that smoking and poverty are closely related. There has been a learning stage of smoking in lower-income families. With addictive substances, smoking behavior further becomes a habit.

“In fact, the level can be even more severe, not only for white cigarettes, but eventually it can increase for kretek (filterless) cigarettes,” explained Prof. Bagong.

Rising cigarette price policy

Though it was not the best solution, Prof Bagong believed that the rising cigarette price policy is a good call.

“It encourages them to think twice in buying the cigarette for more important matters,” he said.

Smokers from low-income communities will possibly find another activity other than smoking. However, the economic sociology professor stated that this policy must be used as the turning point to quit smoking.

Raising awareness

The UNAIR lecturer further said that the core problem lies in transforming the low-income community’s perspective on smoking. Smoking has been constructed as a habit that is hard to eliminate. “There should be a better understanding of the risk of smoking in the family if the parents continue the habit. It takes a lot of effort to build awareness,” he said.

Author: Stefanny Elly

Editor : Binti Q.Masruroh