I am pretty sure we will never see a headline,never mind a story like this one in America.
The debate centers on an article in the 2009 Health Law that lists tobacco as an addictive substance.
Hearings in the review so far have produced some jaw-dropping testimonies from witnesses for the applicant, including theories that smoking does not cause lung cancer and can actually be healthy.
But most telling of all the statements is this one
Indonesia is the only country in the Asia-Pacific region that has not ratified the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.And even in a country that won't ratify this document
The government’s stance on the issue can also be seen in the highest institution in the land: the State Palace.
Under to a 2010 gubernatorial decree, smoking is forbidden in all buildings in Jakarta. Yet smoking remains allowed in the palace’s media room, which is air-conditioned, no less.
If the money attached to lobbying against this on a global scale stops will that end the madness?
