2 Year Old Kid Smoking in Indonesia – Alarming!

Last night on TV Patrol World, a 2 year old Indonesian kid was shown smoking cigarettes in a CNN report done by Arwa Damon. The video shows that Aldi, the 2 year old Indonesian boy smoking cigarettes just like an adult smoker know knows to hold and puff smokes from the cigarettes. In Arwa’s report she asked advice from the National Commission for Child Protection in Indonesia and according to them that the environment gives a big impact on the children who smokes at the early age.

Aldi can consume 40 cigarettes a day throws tantrums or even hurt himself if now given a single stick every time his addiction occurs. Before our main concerns is how to solve tobacco issues like second hand and third hand smoking where it has big impact on the health of children and pregnant women, now aside from selling cigarettes to minors we are facing the dilemma of smokers getting younger not being aware of the health risk they might be encountering because of smoking, and more at the early age.

Here in the Philippines we implemented Tobacco Regulation Act that restricts selling cigarettes to minors, advertisement/promotions and smoking in public places. Sadly like in Indonesia and other countries there are policies (maybe) on tobacco regulations but the implementation is weak or sometimes the government almost forgot that there are existing laws concerning issues like this. Another weak spot on tobacco regulations like in the Philippines is on not implementing image based tobacco warning that will be more powerful that the text warning. If Australia can do that so why does Philippines and other countries can’t implement, unless the policy makers are weak.

Watch the video on CNN.com.

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