A Dubious Honor for China: World’s Youngest Smoker
The official position of China’s national government on the subject of smoking is that it’s bad for you and you should stop; better yet, don’t take up the habit in the first place. Excellent advice, but for one particular citizen of the city of Tianjin, alas, it’s too late.
Tong Liangliang is not what you’d call a long-term smoker. In fact, he took up the habit only about half a year ago. In terms of sheer quantity of cigarettes consumed, though, he’s working pretty hard to catch up with the veterans. They say he’s already putting away a pack a day.
Problem is, Tong Liangliang is only two years old!
The toddler has his father to thank for this situation. At the age of only a year-and-a-half, his dad says, little Liangliang suffered from pain from a hernia. But he was too young to undergo surgery at the time, so the man taught him to smoke, thinking it might offer the poor kid some relief.
It’s not clear whether the treatment had the intended effect. It achieved two other tangible results, however. First, it earned the tiny boy the distinction of being what must be the world’s youngest smoker. At the very least, he’s the youngest one able to do his own lighting up, a procedure he pulls off with the practiced style of a 40-year-old, in a spectacle that’s downright eerie to watch.
Second, it presumably ruined little Liangliang’s life. There’s no question the boy has the habit, and he’s got it bad—they say he gets pretty cranky when his cigarette supply runs out. Furthermore, at a pack a day already, it’s hard to imagine the teensy tyke ever growing up and developing like a normal child. Let’s just say that for the moment, at least, Yao Ming doesn’t have much to worry about.
(link)
By DanBing on 30-07-2009
Comment by tymeswife
July 30th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
that is horrible
Comment by Josée Côté
July 30th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Sick! Sick! Sick! That father should be put in jail.
Comment by anon
July 31st, 2009 at 12:10 am
the sick fvck father who did this 2 his own flesh and blood aught to be shot and so should all parties that have benefit from this video.
Comment by meppl
July 31st, 2009 at 12:35 pm
of course its okay to let this kid smoke some cigarettes, nothing bad will happen. its much worse when children in western countrys have trouble with obese. western society accepts this obese. you should choose your taboos rationally/logically and less stupid.
Comment by Vhast
July 31st, 2009 at 3:01 pm
So one heart disease is worse than the other heart disease. I happen to be a member of western society, and I'm not obese, but I am a smoker. Does that mean that my blood pressure being too high from smoking is any less worse than an obese persons blood pressure being too high from lack of proper diet and activity?
The bottom line is this kid's life is ruined because of the effects that the tar has had on his lungs. Let's not drag the western society hate banner out of the closet for such a ridiculous occasion. Hopefully they put him on the patch soon so that over the next few years some of the health problems attributed to smoking can subside.
Comment by meppl
July 31st, 2009 at 3:39 pm
but i assume that the kid is no smoker like you. i guess he is smoking as seldom as me. i was smoking cigarettes which the age of 7 years, too, and i did not become such a excessive smoker with diseases.
Comment by Random
July 31st, 2009 at 6:29 pm
If he's in pain….he should just smoke weed instead, it relaxes you.
Comment by ...
August 1st, 2009 at 2:45 am
except china has heavy laws against drugs
Comment by Boo-yo
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:03 am
Oh goodness… well it's nothing to get too crazy about.
So the kid smokes? Lots of kids do… atleast its not drinking.
Comment by MissWood
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:48 am
The video in the article doesn't seem to be working, use this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV4R5HejJX0
Comment by Marebear
September 7th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
And this is why some people should be sterilized at birth, and never be allowed to have children. Stupid people shouldn't breed.