JAKARTA, Indonesia – An 8-year-old boy who smoked more than a pack a day from age 4 has kicked the habit, a child-welfare commission said Thursday (April 19th), according to AFP.

The boy, Ilham, has put on two kilograms since going into treatment with the independent Child Protection Commission a month ago, said its chairman, Arist Merdeka Sirait.

Indonesia has the world's highest percentage of young smokers, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report from 2006, which found more than 37% of high school and university students smoked.

The government has done little to regulate tobacco sales in Indonesia, other than increasing excise taxes.

Local media reported Thursday, however, that the government planned to mandate graphic warnings on cigarette packs.

Smoking rates have risen six-fold in Indonesia over the last 40 years, with 89 million Indonesians in a population of 240 million smoking today, WHO data shows.

Prices remain extremely low by international standards, with a pack of 20 costing little more than a dollar.