By: Amanda / 8E

a)   Mode of number of cigarettes: 16 cigarettes

      Mean number of cigarettes: 15 cigarettes

      Mean price of one pack: Rp.14.480, 00

     1 day ~ 30 cigarettes = 2 packs

      Rp.14.480 x 2 = Rp.28.960

     1 year ~ 2 packs x 365 = 730 packs

      Rp.28.960 x 365 = Rp.10.570.400,00

b)   Price of digital camera   : Rp.1.000.000, 00

      Price of TV                      : Rp.2.500.000, 00

      Price of mini hi-fi system: Rp.62.720, 00

      Price of refrigerator          : Rp.3.430.000, 00

      Total                                    Rp.6.992.720, 00

      Rp.10.570.400, 00-  Rp.6.992.720, 00 = Rp.3.577.680, 00

If Peter’s father gives up smoking for 1 whole year, he can buy all of those items, even with money to spare.

Smoking has always been one of the top health problems that young adults face. Studies show that 9 out of 10 cigarette smokers start doing it even before they’re 18! The fact is, almost everybody knows that cancer, heart disorders, and lung diseases. But, why do they still do it? Why do they risk their life just for the pleasure of smoking? The answer is a ­simple word: addiction. Once people start doing with the drugs, they can’t stop. They would do anything to inhale a smoke daily, even if it means spending hundreds of thousands of Indonesian rupiahs every year.

I think that smoking is a very big concern in the teenage community. Right now, Indonesia is experiencing quite a lot of poverty in its public. I believe that one of the contributing causes of this hardship is because people are spending so much money for cigarettes nowadays. My research and numbers have shown that if a person smokes 30 cigars a day, he would have spent approximately Rp. 10.000.000, 00 by the end of the year! That much money is enough to buy a digital camera, TV, hi-fi system, and refrigerator. If you say that poor people don’t need those electronics, well that amount of money can alternatively buy a year’s supply of food for 1 person. Imagine how much less poverty there could be.

There are currently 61 million smokers in Indonesia, and the shopkeeper said that the most marketable brand is the Marlboro Lights. I can suggest that people buy that brand not so much for quality, but rather the vainglory in buying the most expensive ones from other countries. If we let this kind boastful behavior grow in society, we could end up with the number of smokers increasing much more rapidly. I also observed and gave thought to the mode of number of cigarettes, which is 16 cigars. From that number, I can infer that companies try to increase the price, along with the number of cigars in each pack so that consumers will still be satisfied.  I think that is why Dji Sam Soe sells cheaper than the others, with 12 cigars per pack. I reckon that the prices of cigars in general are just too costly. If someone longs for tranquility, he or she shouldn’t pay that much just for cigars. To be honest, I don’t entirely blame the smokers for starting the whole thing. After all, people do experience ups and downs in life, and it’s part of human nature to seek comfort in tough times. Another thing I can guess is that the brand U Mild isn’t very favorable amongst consumers. The price is set lower than others, even with 16 per pack.

From the data I’ve gathered, I can interpret a lot of things, but the most important message I would like to broadcast is that smoking is a nasty habit, that only just brings misery to smokers in the long run, and mustn’t ever be promoted. I know it sounds impossible, but I really wish for a world with no smokers. I think it will build a better, healthier community.