Note: World Lung Foundation united with The Union North America. From January 2016, the combined organization is known as “Vital Strategies.”
(September 29th, 2015, Jakarta, Indonesia and New York, USA) – World Lung Foundation (WLF) today congratulated the government of Indonesia on a new national anti-tobacco campaign that shows the harm and pain caused by tobacco to smokers and their loved ones. The campaign, 'Rokok murah, obatnya yang mahal' (Cigarettes Are Cheap, But The Cost To Tobacco Victims Is High), which was launched by the Ministry of Health at an event in Jakarta, shows the story of Robby, a 27-year-old man who lost his life to smoking-related cancer.
WLF provided financial and technical support for the design and implementation of the campaign, which will be broadcast on seven national television stations – ANTV, Trans TV, Trans 7, RCTI, RTV, Metro TV and Global TV for six weeks, and on Elshinta radio. The campaign will also be promoted and shared over social media at www.suaratanparokok.co.id and using #SuaraTanpaRokok (“Smoke-free voices”).
Robby’s story
Robby was a heavy smoker since elementary school, until being diagnosed with smoking-related laryngeal cancer in January 2014, when just 26 years old. The Public Service Announcement (PSA) shows footage of Robby at various stages of his battle with cancer; the surgeries to remove cancerous tissue left him without a voice. A voiceover from Robby’s mother states that he died from throat cancer, caused by smoking.
She notes that cigarettes are cheap in Indonesia, but treatment for the victims of tobacco is expensive. She ends by saying, “Let's hope there won't be any more 'Robbys' in the future.” With images of Robby’s parents at his grave, the PSA reveals that Robby lost his battle with cancer on June 23rd 2015 at the age of 27. The PSA ends with a call to action, urging people to “Quit smoking – it kills you and hurts the people around you.”
Before he died, Robby documented his battle with cancer on social media, becoming an active campaigner for tobacco control. Robby’s family – his parents and siblings – were part of that effort and have continued the campaign on his behalf. They attended today’s launch event, saying: “Robby had so much to live for; he was known for his many accomplishments like his singing and his photography. We were upset when he first posted his surgery photos on Facebook and he became a social media sensation, but he told us,‘I want to encourage people not to follow my example of smoking from such a young age. I don’t want other young people to suffer like I do’.
“When we understood what he was trying to achieve, we gave him our full support. Our involvement in this campaign is part of our work to continue his legacy. We hope these images of Robby will discourage other young people from starting to use tobacco and encourage others to stop smoking, saving many lives and sparing other parents the grief of losing a beloved child to tobacco-caused disease.”
Stephen Hamill, Director, Policy, Advocacy and Communications, World Lung Foundation, said: “We congratulate the Ministry of Health for running this campaign so more victims of tobacco can be heard – not just Robby himself, but also his parents who are living with the memory of his suffering and the pain of his premature death. We applaud their bravery, their strength, and their selflessness in sharing their story, in the hope that it helps others to avoid becoming victims of tobacco.
“This is the third such campaign in the past year; taken together, these testimonies show that tobacco hurts everyone – smokers, non-smokers, and the friends and family who love each of these victims of tobacco. And there are many victims of tobacco in Indonesia. More than 56 million children and adults smoke tobacco, and tens of millions more are exposed to the deadly harms of second-hand smoke every year. We join Robby and his family in encouraging Indonesia to ratify the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and pass further legislation to support health, not the tobacco industry, for the benefit of Indonesia’s people and its economy.”
The high burden of tobacco in Indonesia
According to The Tobacco Atlas, tobacco kills 217,400 Indonesians every year and is the cause of around one in five (19.8 percent) adult male deaths and 8.1 percent of adult female deaths – more than the average in other middle income countries. This death toll is linked to high levels of smoking prevalence, particularly among males.
In Indonesia, 57.1 percent of men and 41 percent of boys use tobacco daily – more than the average in other middle income countries. In comparison, 3.6 percent of adult females and 3.5 percent of girls use tobacco daily; the proportion of women smoking is lower than in other middle income countries, but the proportion of girls smoking is higher. This means that 2,677,000 children and more than 53,767,000 adults use tobacco daily – causing a significant health and economic burden.
The PSA for Rokok murah, obatnya yang mahal featuring Robby and his family can be viewed here.
The two previous victim testimonial campaigns featured:
– Panjaitan, a religious man and community elder who was left unable to speak after surgery to treat life-threatening cancer of the larynx – the result of decades of cigarette use, and
– Ike, a mother of two from Surabaya and victim of second-hand smoke, who has been diagnosed with throat cancer.
These PSAs and stills and scripts from the campaigns are available upon request.