In 2008, Bogor city joined the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. One of their first actions was to declare their intention to make the city 100% smoke-free and free from tobacco advertising.
In 2009, Bogor became the first city in Indonesia to pass a smoke-free law, which banned smoking in all indoor public places, workplaces and public transport. They also introduced a new ban on certain kinds of tobacco advertising and promotion, including the point-of-sale display of tobacco products. The following year, the city government issued a Mayoral decree which included a focus on enforcing the new smoke-free policies, using mobile courts and random inspection by city police.
In 2014, the city decided to tackle tobacco advertising more aggressively with a ban on all outdoor tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. In 2017, this was expanded to a ban on all point-of-sale display of tobacco products. Again, random inspections were used to support enforcement, and by December 2017, compliance with the tobacco display ban in retail outlets had reached over 90%. The city also worked hard to promote a change in public attitudes towards smoking through public awareness campaigns. In 2018 a series of 8 different advertisements were featured on local billboards to discourage tobacco use, alongside a social media hashtag #SayNoToCigarettes and a hotline number to report violations of smoke-free laws in the city.
As a result of these actions, the city has seen itself become a pioneer for tobacco control in Indonesia, since it has introduced these tobacco control policies ahead of national regulations. In 2018, Bogor City became the first in the country to outright ban e-cigarettes, shisha and other similar products.
A major benefit of the tobacco regulations was the revenue initially generated by fines for violation of the ban. These came from a variety of locations where the ban was being enforced, including restaurants and even local government enterprises. In 2008, Bogor’s income had been Rp 97 billion, but by 2016 the fines had contributed to a total income of Rp 728 billion.
Inevitably, these actions encountered opposition from the tobacco industry. In 2018, the Indonesian Light Cigarette Producers Association and the Indonesian Retailers Association filed a formal objection with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Law and Human Rights about the bylaws issued by Bogor. However, the city stood by its ban on tobacco displays inside stores, reiterating that it was an important part of protecting young people from being manipulated by tobacco advertising. The ban remained in force despite the challenge.
Overall, key factors in Bogor’s success story included strong political commitment, collaborative working with other government departments and local community groups, a strong emphasis on enforcement, and active countering of attempted tobacco control interference.
On World No Tobacco Day 2019 Bogor’s success in tobacco control was recognized by the World Health Organization. It has also inspired other cities, and even directly supported them by sharing its own experiences through national and regional networks.