Pushing the Cigarette Clause

The cigarette industry never seem to run out of ways to promote its products. They try everything, including sneaking in articles inside a draft legislation. The most recent example is the sudden inclusion of a provision to preserve the culture of clove, or kretek, cigarettes in a bill on culture. This laughable article should be deleted. No normal country passes laws obliging the government to preserveor even spreadthe tradition of smoking.

Look at how the bill openly promotes kretek cigarettes. It refers to them as 'cultural heritage' that must be preserved. The clarification of article 49 requires the government to make an inventory, develop traditional kretek cigarettes and promote them. The government is even obliged to organize a kretek festival and protect it.

September 29, 2015