Smoking 2-Year-Old Successfully Kicks Nicotine Habit After Intensive Rehab

Jakarta Globe, Nurfika Osman | September 02, 2010

Indonesia’s notorious smoking infant from South Sumatra, the 30-month-old AR, has kicked his addiction to nicotine after taking part in a monthlong intensive rehabilitation program, the National Commission for Child Protection said on Thursday.

Seto Mulyadi, chairman of the commission known as Komnas Anak, told the Jakarta Globe that the toddler had fully overcome his smoking addiction.

“He is happy and now he can play just like other children of his age — he can laugh,” Seto said.

He said the program should have lasted for more than a month, but that it was terminated early because the festivities marking the end of the fasting month were nearing.

“But the local government is committed to take care of him in order to prevent him from suffering a relapse,” he said.

Seto has asked the local government to enroll AR in an education center for children, to further his development.

“We want them to fully support him and also to prevent other children from taking up the same habit,” he said.

“I am going to go back to South Sumatra after Idul Fitri [the holiday to mark the end of Ramadan] to check on him as well as to play with him,” Seto said.

AR, whose identity is withheld for privacy reasons, shocked the world when a video of him smoking a cigarette while riding a tricycle appeared on the Internet in May.

Komnas Anak’s secretary general, Samsul Ridwan, said the government must protect children from the dangers of smoking, saying the emergence of child smokers in Indonesia was an “undeniable phenomenon.”

He said protecting children from tobacco use should be given the same urgency as threats like child abuse, exploitation and human trafficking.

Seto also said a few days ago, while visiting Makassar in South Sulawesi, he had found that another 2-year-old there had the same habit as AR

“This phenomenon is becoming rampant. We need to find a solution to protect the children,” the Komnas Anak chairman said.

Four-year-old Adi, from East Java, is another recent Indonesian example of a chain-smoking kid gaining notoriety after appearing on YouTube. Adi, who uttered foul language as well, is also said to have overcome his bad habits.

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