Smoking toddler from Indonesia kicks habit for a year's supply of biscuits and milk
- 6 years ago
A two-year-old boy who had a 40-a-day smoking habit has quit after being given a year's supply of milk and biscuits.
Rapi Ananda Pamungkas started by picking up used butts outside his mum's food stall in Sukabumi, Indonesia, in June this year.
But within days he was hooked - and would constantly pester passing adults to give him cigarettes and ''go berserk'' if he could not smoke.
His favourite activity was smoking while drinking coffee and needed a cigarette to sleep at night.
But following media attention, doctors and government officials visited the family's home in the remote West Java regency of the country last week.
Rapi was given several boxes of biscuits and formula milk with the local council making supplies available for the next year for him.
They also gave him toys to keep him occupied and are trying to find sports that he can take part in.
The toddler's mother, Maryati, 35, was also ''educated'' about the dangers of smoking and ordered to show her son graphic pictures of cigarette-induced illnesses every time he demands to smoke.
In the video she says: "Yes, he's stopped smoking. I am happy. My child has not smoked for the past two days.
''Before I was afraid not to let him smoke. This morning I went to the market, and Rapi not go berserk to ask for cigarettes and coffee.
''Now for two days he has not asked. He looks at the cigarette butts on the floor but does not pick them up. Usually he would take them and suck them.''
Rapi Ananda Pamungkas started by picking up used butts outside his mum's food stall in Sukabumi, Indonesia, in June this year.
But within days he was hooked - and would constantly pester passing adults to give him cigarettes and ''go berserk'' if he could not smoke.
His favourite activity was smoking while drinking coffee and needed a cigarette to sleep at night.
But following media attention, doctors and government officials visited the family's home in the remote West Java regency of the country last week.
Rapi was given several boxes of biscuits and formula milk with the local council making supplies available for the next year for him.
They also gave him toys to keep him occupied and are trying to find sports that he can take part in.
The toddler's mother, Maryati, 35, was also ''educated'' about the dangers of smoking and ordered to show her son graphic pictures of cigarette-induced illnesses every time he demands to smoke.
In the video she says: "Yes, he's stopped smoking. I am happy. My child has not smoked for the past two days.
''Before I was afraid not to let him smoke. This morning I went to the market, and Rapi not go berserk to ask for cigarettes and coffee.
''Now for two days he has not asked. He looks at the cigarette butts on the floor but does not pick them up. Usually he would take them and suck them.''