Tobacco use and its impact on poverty among forest households: The cases of Indonesia

 Cigarettes are a widely distributed type of food product in the community, mainly in West Java (32.7%) and West Nusa Tenggara (30.3%). The government, therefore, needs to understand the impact of tobacco use on poverty among farm households.  The study was conducted in three villages of Cukangkawung, Sukaharja, and Labuhan Badas, selecting 30 respondents per village. Those are farmers who work in the forest sector, for a total of 90 respondents. Data were obtained through interviews and desk studies that were analyzed descriptively. The results of the study showed that the highest number of smokers in Cukangkawung, Sukaharja, and Labuhan Badas were 10, 10, and 11 persons, respectively. Their yearly average consumption per person was IDR 2,754,000, IDR 9,375,000 and IDR 1,682,180 respectively. The smoking rate per village was 9.47% (Cukangkawung), 9.96% (Sukaharja), and 10.28% (Labuhan Badas). Cigarette consumption by farmers leads to lost opportunities to invest in other purposes, including education and health care. These two factors lead to productivity which is closely related to poverty. As productivity is low, farm incomes are also low, so the needs cannot be fully satisfied. It was revealed when income rises, cigarette consumption rises, but it is interesting to note that when income falls, cigarette consumption remains constant.  If this continues, farmers and families will continue to live in poverty.  This phenomenon requires government action to break the chain of poverty through a variety of policies and incentives.