Exposure to Tobacco Marketing Among Adolescents in Indonesia: Data Brief

Indonesia faces a tobacco epidemic among youth, as 19% of young people age 13-15 years are smokers. The smoking prevalence among young people ages 10-18 also rose significantly from 7% to 9% from 2013 to 2018.

The tobacco industry spends billions of dollars on marketing, which contributes to the rapid rise in smoking among youth. In recent years, with the emergence of the internet, tobacco marketing online is rampant and targeted at young people, and represents a risk factor for adolescent tobacco use.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, youth are spending more time on the internet, including using social media (e.g., Instagram, Facebook) and online gaming platforms. However, adolescents’ exposure to tobacco marketing on the internet is not fully understood or documented.

This brief summarizes a study that fills this gap. In 2021, Vital Strategies with partners in Indonesia conducted a household survey of 2,281 adolescents between age 13-15 years to determine the extent of exposure to tobacco marketing. This data brief presents key findings from the study.

Additional findings are reported in the accompanying Appendix.