A bill equating tobacco with psychotropics is a foreign agenda trying to infiltrate the Indonesian government. How come? Tobacco has become part of the life of Indonesian farmers and people. The state revenue contribution from tobacco excise in 2021 will reach IDR 214.96 trillion.

And so far tobacco is something legal. If this law is passed there will be social and economic turmoil. There are more than millions of workforce in the tobacco industry, starting from farmers, manufacturing and distribution of tobacco products.

The government seems to be under pressure from foreign movements to undermine the Indonesian tobacco industry. The pressure is felt from the increase in tobacco taxes which increase every year. Foreign pressure actually wants to dominate the fantastic Indonesian tobacco market.

However, waves of rejection began to appear. The largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, Nahdhatul Ulama, rejected the bill. The mass base of NU is workers and tobacco farmers. Kudus, Demak, Kediri and East and Central Java, including the tobacco farming area in Temanggung, were areas that became NU's mass base.

Why did NU refuse? The bill is redundant. Tobacco is just an addictive substance, not an intoxicating substance that makes one lose consciousness. In the fatwa, NU scholars also state that tobacco is not "haram" goods.

The bill doesn't make people quit smoking

What happens is the opposite, the circulation of illegal tobacco and cigarettes will be more widespread. The community will take the fight by carrying out social disobedience. State revenues will also be lost from tobacco taxes. Bribery will be rife by illegal cigarette traders. People will continue to consume tobacco and smoke because smoking is part of the culture.

Reff and Image Source : https://komunitaskretek.or.id/opini/2023/04/sama-tembakau-dan-narkotika-menanti-terjajahnya-ekonomi-indonesia/