Why Cigarettes Have No Expiration Date?

As a type of product consumed, cigarettes do not include the expiration date on the packaging. This is different from food products and drugs which must include an expiration date on every product.

Smoking was considered to be violating the Consumer Protection Act No 8 of 1999. Tulus Abadi of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) who met in Jakarta, Thursday (09/08/2012), said that since the beginning of expired goods because smoking is a poison. Cigarettes do not have an expiration date because it was considered as a legal product.

"There was misguided from the beginning. It is clear that toxic items should be labeled illegal. If toxins, both governments and WHO should declare that smoking is legal so it can not be freely sold," he said.

In terms of consumer protection, said Sincere, each product consumed by people as food, drugs, and cosmetics must include an expiration date. Expiration date on a product means the product is unsuitable for use or for consumption by the consumer as well as safe for human body. When a product does not specify an expiration period, it is obviously not suitable for consumption.

"The issue of cigarettes is still a commodity in the economy. Still considered the greatest contributor to the state excise tax. In fact, state revenue from tobacco tax was actually donated by the smokers, not tobacco companies," he said.

Hanafiah Mia, Chief Executive of the National Tobacco Control Committee, added that the tobacco industry if this continues, the result is clear, ie death, illness, and victims. If the industry is governed by clear regulations, the number of deaths and casualties caused by smoking can be controlled.