Jakarta, June 3 -- Health Ministry emphasizes the need for an anti-smoking campaign to be massively promoted through the school curriculum by teaching children about the harmful effects of tobacco, in a bid to prevent nicotine addiction and diseases.

Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said here on Wednesday that according to many studies, such education is crucial because adolescents, starting from 14 years old, are at a time when they love to experiment with new things, including cigarettes.

"The data is clear. I think 15-19 years old is the most crucial time. We prevent, (because) once they smoke, getting addicted for decades, it's hard to stop," Octavianus remarked here on Wednesday.

He noted that many studies have sh...