Indonesia Health Group Urges Higher Vape Excise Taxes
The Indonesian Health Policy Forum (RUKKI) has formally proposed a hike in electronic cigarette excise taxes to tackle nicotine addiction across the country. Speaking at a media briefing in Jakarta on Monday, RUKKI Chairman Mouhamad Bigwanto warned that affordable vape prices undermine national public health goals.
“We hope the government raises excise taxes on electronic cigarettes because if they remain too cheap, efforts to help people break nicotine addiction will fail,” Bigwanto said.
Preventing Down-Trading and Market Gaps
RUKKI emphasized that tobacco tax policy must address price disparities across product tiers. When e-liquids remain cheap, consumers seeking to reduce smoking switch to affordable vaping products rather than quitting nicotine altogether.
To highlight product potency, RUKKI conducted a comparative study assessing nicotine content across conventional cigarettes, electronic devices, and oral nicotine. “Our findings show that one milliliter of e-cigarette liquid is equivalent to 13 conventional cigarettes,” Bigwanto stated, noting that excise is levied on the liquid itself rather than the physical hardware.
Rising Usage and Reselling in Schools
The group raised concerns over youth consumption patterns. Field findings indicate that students now use electronic cigarettes more frequently than combustible tobacco, with some students reselling affordable devices on school grounds.
“We found many students selling these products in schools. They are simply too affordable for children,” Bigwanto added. RUKKI reiterated that setting higher excise taxes will eliminate cheap alternatives and reinforce national addiction control efforts.
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