Many Indonesian Children Still Smoke: Here Are Their Age Groups

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reports that children aged 5-17 years old were smokers in 2022-2024.

Based on age group, 0.08% of children aged 5-6 years old were active smokers in the last month.

Meanwhile, for the 7-12 age group, the figure was 0.11%. For the next age group, 13-15 years old, it was 1.77%.

The highest percentage of child smokers was in the 16-17 age group, reaching 7.39%.

"Although relatively small, the trend from 2022 to 2024 shows an increase," wrote the BPS in its *2024 Profile of Maternal and Child Health* report, published on December 31, 2024.

According to BPS, there is a correlation between parental education levels and the number of children who smoke.

"The percentage of children aged 5-17 years who smoked during the last month tends to decrease as the level of education completed by the head of the household (KRT) increases," wrote BPS.

BPS detailed that the percentage of children aged 5-17 years who smoked during the last month in households where the KRT had no or incomplete primary education was 3.28%, while in households where the KRT had completed tertiary education, it was 0.39%.

BPS stated that the significant increase in the number of child and adolescent smokers needs to be addressed with a national prevention and cessation program designed based on a comprehensive analysis of the causes of smoking habits among children and adolescents.

Borrowing from the 2017 research by Grapatsas et al., BPS mentions that among prevention and cessation programs, prevention programs should be prioritized by all parties to stop the phenomenon of smoking among children and adolescents.

(See also: 0.92% of Mothers in Indonesia Smoked in 2024, South Papua Highest)