LOUIS BURKE | Culture | CONTACT
12 years after achieving viral stardome, chain smoking Indonesian baby Aldi Rizal, now 14 years of age, has kicked his dirty habit all thanks to vaping.
Managing to nail the fine line between adorable and disturbing, Rizal made international headlines 12 years ago when a video emerged of him punching darts during what was described as a 40 a day habit.
After the initial laughter turned to concern and the inevitable John Oliver segment, Rizal’s mum put in the hard work and managed to get her two year old to quit smoking.
Thankfully, the adorable little dart finatic stayed off the hot ones, even if he is sucking on a blueberry flavoured electric pickle every day.
“I’m much healthier since I switched to the vapes,” stated Rizal, still absolutely nailing those smoke rings.
“I’ve grown so much as a person. I’m literally three times the size I was back when I was smoking darts.”
This move is not just a win for Rizal, but for the tobacco industry at large who can continue their chokehold on Indonesia where nearly 20% 13-15 year olds smoke.
“Vapes have been a great pivot for us,” wheezed one tobacco industry rep.
“They might look like fun little TimTams you can smoke but it’s still got our baccy stained fingers on it, just without those ludicrous warnings you have to put on the packaging in your country.”
“It’s like the ‘50s again, or at least that’s what our surviving board members tell us.”
“When they can speak.”
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