Jakarta, Feb. 3 -- The Ministry of Health is focusing on efforts to lower smoking prevalence among children to minimize the risk of smoking-related deaths in the country.

"The target of reducing smoking prevalence is children. How to prevent children from becoming smokers," Health Ministry's Director of Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, remarked here on Monday.

Speaking at a discussion on Tobacco Harm Reduction and Lives Saved Report, Tarmizi affirmed that her side is focusing on reducing the number of young smokers, particularly those who start smoking as early as nine years old or during adolescence.

She pointed out that children are vulnerable to the risks of smoking, not only from their own us...