REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TANGERANG - Indonesians are the world's top smokers as statistics record there are 66 millions smokers in the country.
"Currently, Indonesia has the largest number of smokers in the world with a total of 66 millions active smokers," Minister of Health, Dr Nafsiah Mboi said on Monday when visiting Tangerang District Hospital.
Most of the smokers are children and young people, followed by middle class society. According to Mboi, 97 millions people are passive smokers and put 43 million children exposed to cigarette smoke.
Indonesian government provides 1,000 health centers and 200 hospitals to help smokers who want to quit smoking through counseling. Mboi underlined the importance of raising people's awareness on the danger of smoking.
"We cannot do it alone. They must have strong will (to quit smoking)" Mboi said.
Mboi also concerned the growth of women smokers that increased from 1.3 percent to 13 percent in Indonesia.
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