Smoking in Japan

[Scott]

I've been wondering this for quite awhile lately. How is smoking viewed in Japan? I was browsing http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=popvox&id=270 and it seems that in Japan, children/teens aren't taught the harmful effects of smoking and tobacco as well as they are in America. If you view the first comment made by Hoshio Koizumi he states, "I don't think underage drinking is a problem. However, I don't think we should smoke until we're over 20 since smoking is harmful for younger people." Smoking isn't just bad for younger people, it's bad for everyone. Asuka Okamoto claims, "I don't want to see any regulations because I have been smoking and drinking since I was a teenager. My friends actually got me started on drink and tobacco. I had no trouble at all buying them from vending machines and even convenience stores. Shop assistants never asked me once if I was under age. I can see the point of view of those who wish to check the age of the person buying alcohol or cigarettes but it will definitely bother adults as well." This gives the impression that in Japan, laws about underage smoking are easly ignored and offenders aren't punished severely enough. Are there any anti-smoking campaigns out there? This looks to be a serious problem in Japan that something needs to be done about.

[thomas]

Interesting discussion at JT. The following seems to be true:

Do you think that alcoholic drinks and cigarettes are too easily obtainable in Japan?
Jedi Pimp (Jul 18 2002 - 11:20)

I think the early the better for the Japanese. Westerners on average seem to start partying sooner than Japanese which is very evident every Wedneday-Saturday night. I for one stopped acting like a drunk-puking idiot in public back in college. What these people need is some kind of drinking in public class in high school.It's tragic that booze has such an important social function in Japan.

As for smoking, here's a related site:

Anti Smoke Site

=> http://www.japanreference.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=3826

[Scott]

Yes, that is tragic thomas. I'm happy to see at least ONE anti-tobacco usage site, though!

[Mavurik]

I wish Japan would learn. What about the pregnant ladies? It seems in a country like Japan they would have courtesy not to smoke because of pregnant women. I know they know the harmful effects of smoking + pregnant women. Oh well... I guess I'll have to get used to the smell of smoke before I go there.
:(

[samuraitora]

@Scott
Have you gone to truth.com?
this is another anti-smoking site with comercials all over the television...at least here in MI they are.

@Mavurik
How can you not be used to the smell? Smoking is very common here in the states...dwindling in popularity though. Most people who have grown up here in the 30's through 80's smokes...or has quite.

[moyashi]

JT (Japan Tobacco) is pretty huge. They do salt and other commodities too.
Of course, they run thier duty commercials on TV to be decent smokers and too not smoke every where.

English Teachers (at least in high school) smoke a lot .... I do too.

Sapporo, has probably highest rate of women smokers in Japan.

One part of Tokyo I believe it was has initiated no smoking while walking. Too many folks were getting burned, I think was the reasoning.

I'd say Japan is smoking heaven. Although, local trains banned smoking about 9 years ago. Long distance ones have smoking and non-smoking cars.

resturants are retarded and put the non-smoking area in the middle of the smoking areas or off to a bad corner. hmmm ... I think Starbucks banned smoking, not sure ... haven't been there yet.

If smoking was banned in bars like in the States Japan's economy would collapse.

Although, things have gotten better over the last 10 years. Vending machines actually shut off after 10pm and convenience stores located within a certain distance of schools no longer sell tobacco. Many public offices and companies have slowly eliminated smoking at workers desks and set up smoking areas with filters and what not (I wish more of this happen though, smokers should not have free reign of any room).

@drinking
hmm, another thing I've been pretty harsh on for a while. Anybody can basically buy beer anywhere. Here again, if the legal age was enforced, I'd say about 70% of the drinking districts would go under which would create a chain reaction in the Real Estate and alcholic beverage market. Although, probably the actual amount consumed at bars and such is still negigable since many folks like to drink with dinner.

Still though, 16,17,18 year olds shouldn't really be drinking in town. I'm old house here and think that 19 is pretty reasonable. It was 19 for me until I got 19 then it changed to 21 .... that really sucked!

now, high school parties ... hehe ... find somebody's parents who'd prefer you drink at home than out on some street. I did ... pretty cool setup. The parents bought, took their share and we, well ... got drunk ... they even offered to take us home if things ever got too far.

oh well, Japan is interesting to say the least.

Every since I came

[Scott]

Yes, I've seen the Truth commercials. I love those things. They need to start doing them in a crowded Tokyo street. I'm sure they would have some effect. I'd LOVE to see that.

[samuraitora]

I wonder how the Japanese would handle that???

[Mavurik]

I'm not used to cigarette smoke and nobody has to be. Around here people don't smoke everywhere. Actually now that I think about it, smokers are the minority here. Most of the smokers I can think of are the asian kids at my school and they're mostly trying to quit (but usually fail). I never go in a store and see people smoking. Never. I hardly even see somebody smoking on the street. I guess it's just controlled here. So to me, smoking in America isn't as bad as it is in Japan. I guess I'll have a shorter life when I go there if I have to breathe in all that smoke air. I like that commercial that goes something like this:

Smoker sitting on chair: "I can't live without my cigarettes"
Guy in hospital with stuff attached to him: "I can't live without my oxygen"
-theres more inbetween but i forgot some of it-
Shows a man sitting in a chair smiling and smoking
Smoker: "I ... just can't stop" shrugs
Cuts to a room with a patient on the operating table
Doctor looking at charts of lungs: "I can't operate"

Now that commercial caught my attention. The whole hospital atmosphere, then the way the smokers were acting like they didn't care saying "I can't stop." Haha, wait until that happens to you. I don't have sympathy for smokers in that situation, especially ones that don't care.

They need to show stuff like that more often. Not that teen bs where the kids are like "we don't need to smoke to be cool." Nobody looks at those. It's when the shocking commercials come on that make you stop and go wow. Like the lady with the hole in her throat. That commercial worked. They should show that in Japan but show it with kids for an extra effect. Like some schoolgirl with a hole in her throat and another with cigarette burns from getting bumped into by a smoker. Like a cigarette burn on her eye that made a hole or something nasty like that. At least it would get people talking. :T

If it was up to me and I was running things in Japan (this is just a fantasy), I'd show commercials like that for a while and give a period for people to quit, then if they didn't quit I'd make every indoor area non-smoking and I'd confine smoking to designated areas where dozens of people would have to smoke at the same time. I'd also slap an impossible fine to pay (something that would take 4 or 5 years to pay off) on people who were caught smoking indoors. If they can see the commercials and not care about their health or other's health they don't deserve to use facilities like other people who do care. Come to think of it, I wouldn't designate an area to smoke. I'd just flat out tell people they better quit and set up programs to help them and if they're caught smoking they get that fine. If they don't pay, jail for 30 years and I mean business. No ways out. If you have a cigarette in your mouth, jail. No questions asked. :T See how many people would follow the rules then, especially after you've made a few examples out of some people. You have to be outrageous about it to get results. These little slaps on the hand don't do anything.

I'd also make a commercial showing babies that were affected by cigarette smoke and make the commercial blame everyone who's ever smoked in front of a woman without being concerned if she was pregnant or not. Maybe some people would change their ways then. And in my opinion, anyone trying to defend smoking seriously needs to re-evaluate their priorities. :T You can't win.

Anti-Smoking commercials they don't want you to see:

http://www.jjg.net/special/antismoking/
http://www.health.gov.au/mediarel/yr2000/mw/mw20052.htm

[Scott]

I agree with you Mavurik. I personally cannot stand being around cigarette smoke. They do need to start being more agressive about the problem.

[moyashi]

I like your idea of using high school kids as commercial consulatants, Mavurik.

Only problem I can see is that 1.) men working in Tokyo are under lot's of stress and kicking back home isn't really an option. 2.) Japan has one of the highest life expctancy rates in the world with lung cancer being very low. Possibly the smokers are the one's who keep the expectancy rate lower than it could possibly be. I see 80 year olds puffing away a lot.

hmmm....

But definitely, if commercials are to target young adults then young adults should be the ones who comment on them.

[samuraitora]

I smoke...and I know the dangers and affects.

Personally, kids should have to see the affects of what it does to people...nasty.

[thomas]

I smoke one cigarette per day after dinner. That probably doesn't make me a heavy smoker. I don't think that anyone who consumes more than 3 cigarettes per day is still able to "enjoy" smoking, it becomes a mere habit or addiction.

Since my wife lives in Europe her cigarette consumption dropped to 1-3 cigarettes per day too.
:)

[deborah gormley]

Smoking is an indivual choice and its not a very difficult choice to make, either you smoke or you dont!!:)

I think too much emphasis is placed on a smoker to leave a room or stub out a cigerette, if it makes someone uncomfortable, why does the smoker have to leave at all? its not the smoker who's uncomfortable! (lolol) :p

[moyashi]

hey Debs you smoke?

Since my wife became pregnant she quite smoking (errr, far as I know .... I'm hoping that's for sure.)

I've stopped smoking in the house all together and immediately noticed the effect. My 2 monitors are cleaner, my mouse isn't full of grit any more, my computer's fan no longer makes weird noises. Too bad that my cables are all greasy brown now.

I smoke on the balcony or somewhere I can't be seen by the wife. I'm hoping/planning on cutting back much more when the baby's born. Hopefully, quit. I don't want the wife to start up again. Too many of her friends who have kids carry their children in one arm and in the other hand a cigarette. Just too dangerous (not counting the health effects).

Japan is pretty close to Debs idea. If you're in someones home who smokes the non-smoker is the one who must make the choice. Yet, if the home is a non-smokers it's up to the non-smoker to hand out an ash tray or not.

ughh, why did I start smoking in the first place ???? stupid stupid

[samuraitora]

I like Japan's concepts on smoking...seems to be the most logical

[deborah gormley]

@ moyashi and only moyashi(lolol I'm afraid to post hehe):bluush:

Yes I smoke and to my shame I smoke quite alot! if I could cut it down easily I would only be too happy to do so, but I find it extremely difficult and as I have been smokeing since the age of 14 its almost my right too smoke(silly I know) but thats the way it is for me, my husband hates smokeing (with a passion) so during my pregnancys it was dramaticly reduced, and when the child was physically present, smokeing in the same room was a definate "NO NO" I wanted the children to have clean fresh air for as long as it was possible(just to give them a good start in live).
Although I smoke quite often, I would never light up a cigerette in company without asking if anyone suffered from ashma or a breathing condition, just to be polite and be aware of my so called harmfull smoke, if this was the case, without a second thought I would leave the company if I desired a cigerette, but I do utterly hate the so called "reformed smoker" who smells smoke and at once asks the smoker to stub out or leave a room, that only makes me defiant and say "why?" lolol :o

I do know the effects and all the side effects(apparently) of the passive smoker, and this is why I try my best to be patient and understanding when in company or in my home with none smokers:bow:

[thomas]

Nothing new, but let's reiterate:

62% of pregnant women are passive smoking victims

=> http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=1&id=224479

[moyashi]

My father used to smoke 2 cartons a week. Now, he tries to lynch me whenever he sees me. hypocrit ... sorry I know he's right but he's going about it the wrong way.

smoking is bad, but smokers should still be given their own area.

@smoking
2nd hand smoke aparently is the worst.
it takes 15 years for the lungs to clear up 90%+
nicotine can be kicked in 3 days, while the habit is either fingers or mouth. I'm a finger type so plastic cigarettes won't work nor will gum.

hmmmm ....

[deborah gormley]

I'v tryed them all and my best ever at releiving the craving or the want of a cigerette was the patches, they where great!! but I failed on that too, only due to my need to have my hands active:mad:

I will some day try once again to kick the nasty habit, and the patches will be the cure for me:bow:

@ passive smokeing,,, I agree that its supposed to be worst of the two evils,an actual smoker is aparently(so I'v heard) better at keeping those nasty gems of flus and colds (and others) at bay, due to the fact that as we inhale the germ is passed to the lung and exhaled directly back out again,, so the poor passive smoker gets it doubled, they inhale our smoke and our germ,:sorry: :sorry: :sorry:

[Scott]

I wish you luck debs and everyone else who is trying to quit! Stay in there.

[deborah gormley]

thank you Scott

[moyashi]

ohhh, me debs have the same problem.
You twirl pens too?

MY father cleared the 3 day nicotine fit when he was sick. They remaining part was to break the habit.

oh well, I'm gonna enjoy my drags until the baby comes .... then ... ??? .... hoping.

[Diana]

It's good to see how considerate everyone on this forum is, whether smoker or not. :)

Moyashi-san, I hope you will have a healthy and beautiful baby!
And to everyone trying to quit: ganbatte! I heard from someone that after a period of not smoking, they felt much more energetic.
So hey, it's not impossible!

I'm a non-smoker, but I don't mind the smoke much. It actually depends; sometimes I'm bothered (if it's blown into my face!) and sometimes I'm not. My dad's a smoker (he took up the habit in his 30s), but my mom's not. Luckily, dad smokes only in the balcony, so our apartment is smoke-free.

Many people in my country (Romania) are smokers, including young people. So I think it's a matter of personal choice. I never started smoking because I had no reason, and besides I disliked the smell of cigarettes. And the way I see it, there are many disadvantages and almost no advantage (I can understand the addiction factor, but that comes in *after* you start smoking).

I had an English teacher in Ro in whose apartment I'd have private English lessons, and she used to smoke a lot during the sessions! (She was almost a chain-smoker.) I really didn't like it, and my clothes and hair would always get that cigarette smell I hated (especially on me! LOL). Her apartment had the same smell, and the prof had stained fingers and teeth and - well, overall, that made me aware of the many cons of smoking!

Women who smoke should definitely quit during pregnancy, and hopefully quit for good. ;)

[nukleareraffe]

I quit smoking 2 years ago. i was up to 3 packages a day and then one day, i suddenly thought, well, what the f**k are you doing here? and i just stopped the next day. i didn't even want to smoke till that day:ramen:
i stick to ramen now. just kidding. i started sports and feel much better now

[deborah gormley]

@ nuckearaffe:clap: :clap: :clap:

wish I could do the same some day:bow:


@moyashi, I swirl my hair,kids hair, spagetti I even would twirl a peice of chewing gum when I'm trying to quit the habit,,, the only cure for me is to cut off my hands,lolol:)

[timwerx]

I work with young people here, and it's sad to see them killing themselves. I've asked them about it, and they say that smoking is a necessary "communication tool." I can't communicate with them long in the student lounge, however, because of the reek.

Sadly, the average Japanese male cannot do anything without beginning it and ending it with a smoke... and with many more between.

The educational approach just doesn't cut it. After all, the warning on the cigarette packs just warn not to "smoke too much."

Change is coming, but it will be very, very slow, I think.

[Twisted]

Here's the Dutch approach to disencourage smoking:
Big fat banners on the packets with the following warnings:

- Smokers die younger
- Smoking can damage sperm and reduce fertillity
- Smoking can lead to a slow and painful death

I'm not sure of the results, but they've created a whole new market for cigarette-pouches.

[thomas]

If McDonalds will lose their case, they will have to add the same warnings to each hamburger they sell:

"Due to the amount of cholesterol contained, eating this double whooper could lead to coronary diseases and to slow painful death".

[moyashi]

that's one way to do it but ... I remember the death packages. They actually sold quite well for being cool.

I think that the American idea of taxing the hell out of the smoker is probably the most effective. Makes you really think if $8 for a pack is worth it.

Many smokers in Japan (ahem, including myself) know that smoking is dangerous and we'll die younger. But when the countries average life span is one of the highest in the world and you see 80 year old women puffing away you begin to wonder ...

Although, the wife isn't at home. I haven't smoked once in the house and force myself to stand out on the balcony. Hopefully, I can keep decreasing the areas I smoke at to help me make the final step and quit completely.

[timwerx]

Good luck! Hope you can do it.

[moyashi]

Thanks Timwerx. Also, welcome to the board!

[Olivia]

i wish you all smokers luck! :)

me too, i smoked for 8 years. i quit smoking only 2 1/2 months ago, but this time i want it to last forever! (i think it's my 3rd or 4th attempt) so i know how hard it is to stop, specially in a place like japan (for those who live there), where smoking is not forbidden and through the eyes of the society, in general, it is not seen as a nasty habit...

Minna Ganbare!

[deborah gormley]

Olivia thats brilliant news, two and half months :clap: :)

thank god this is'nt a non smokeing forum lol,:eek: I'v been smokeing 18 years roughly, and thats more than half of my life, so I will have to give them up real soon, my kids are even asking me to stop smokeing around the house and they pretend to choke ect, poor things I know its not so fair to smoke when they are around,but I really have tried, maybe just not hard enough though:bow:
But keep you up the good work, :bow:
@Timwerx,, Hi and welcome:wave:

[moyashi]

wow 2.5 months. nice job

kiddies giving you guilt feelings. Ouch. Time to cut smoking in the house. Have you tried the balcony? Although, the wife is at the parents house, I haven't smoked once inside, I go out on the balcony and imitate firefiles [hotaru] seems to be the name of smokers who sneak outside at night to puff away.

Now, I just have to cut done smoking while driving. That's going to be tough for me since I drive alot everyday.

[thomas]

Hehe, hotaru, Nahoko told me about that smoking term, I like it. I admit I've started to smoke again, not a lot, but still. And the worst is that reading this thread made me light another one.

[Olivia]

hehe, liked that term 'hotaru' (though it makes me remember that movie)
there's a term for those who smoke a lot, heavy smokers = 'hebi-sumo', have you ever heard that?

[moyashi]

ugh, you gotta stop and so do I.
It's "hebi-sumoka" up here.

Yeah, [hotaru] does that but it really only means "firefly".

Tonight Typhoon 21 is on the way and the balcony is weight. Bummer.

[Shinhan]

I am a non smoker, and I NEVER smoked (nor do I intend to), but I dont have problem with people who smoke on their own. I have a problem with people who smoke in non smoking cars (in the train), and they are like "so what?"
Or the guys who think that there are two groups: those who smoke, and those who quit smoking. Why is it such a big problem with me wanting to stay healthy?
Schools have the worst problems. Here in Yugoslavia, 75% of highschool girls smoke! Little less for men. Every excursion is like an excuse for smoking, drinking and extasy! That is the reason I have never gone with school on an excursion. To get drunk? To kill a milllion brain cells? To nearly die of intoxication? NO THANX!

[thomas]

Alcohol, a question of experience. I love to have a decent glass of red wine in the evening and I also enjoy a beer with the guys. However, getting drunk shouldn't be the aim of consuming alcohol.

Smoking among students is indeed a serious problem. As you stated, in particular girls seem to be inclined to puff away. I wonder why.

[moyashi]

@ women smokers
It seems to be a way to diet. You eat a few MickeyD's french fries then puff away. Aparently you end up eating less.

@ smoking in non-smoking areas
here here! I'm an admitted smoker but I will not or at least knowingly smoke in a non-smoking area. I normally even ask the Taxi drivers if I may smoke. They laugh because it's such a Gaijin Habit that they deal with.

@ drinking
What's wrong with getting plastered/wasted/puke all night once in a while? However, if a friend is a non-drinker I will always respect that!

[Twisted]

Originally posted by moyashi
However, if a friend is a non-drinker I will always respect that!

Yeah, and he will be the one who drives everyone home :D

[thomas]

Originally posted by moyashi
What's wrong with getting plastered/wasted/puke all night once in a while?

I tell you what's wrong with it. Did that Saturday night, still suffering, and it's already Monday...
;)

[moyashi]

@ Twisted
Well, yeah, but .... in high school that's normally the case but these days, my non-drinking friends are the ones who gather up money to pay for the bill and take care of the ordering.

Hmmm, now I think about it, I bet they gather extra from all of us drunks and pay for their share .... hehehe. That's ok though.

@ Thomas
You're getting old :p

[thomas]

Older and wiser, I hope, lol.

[Twisted]

Trust me, not wiser. Next weekend it'll start all over again. :)

[kinjo]

Yeah, smoking is appalling in Japan. a male license.Who is there without a packet of Menthol lights bulging from his shirt pocket?
just too bad.. and worse, most of them don't even bother to pop in a mouth freshner.....Aaargh, my previous customer always used to stink of smoke...

Saw one real cool ad a few days back

Theres this gorgeous woman driving down the highway and a guy thumbs up to hitch a hike. She ignores him and goes ahead, but sees in the rearview mirror that hes taking out a cigarette and starting to smoke. She pulls back and gives him a ride. Next comes this message filling the screen - "Women feel safer with men who smoke". Finally appears ,
"Smoking causes impotency"

Cool eh?!

It would make good sense in Japan where the birth rate is plunging down.
(But then, it wouldn't make sense if the women herself smokes right?! LOL)

:)

[thomas]

Funny ad! Btw, the European Union will ban tobacco advertising completely from 2005.

Japanese tobacco consumers start to strike back, read the article below:

Tobacco has long been Japan's killing machine

First lawsuit by victims unlikely to have impact

=> http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/12/12/MN244788.DTL

[samuraitora]

just as a note, I have quit smoking a couple of months ago. When I get the erge, I look at my son and think of all the people who have died or got cancer in my family. My son has done a lot for me. There is a long history of cancer in my family, so smoking for me was actually kinda stupid. Plus, I spent some time in a hospital (working and volunteering). I have seen the effects of smoking, everything from people who had to have their bottom jaw replaced to an autopsy (spelling?). Nothing is nastier than seeing a set of lungs opened and all that funk in there. icky or well "yucky" as Jonathan would say...lol

[johnpolito]

Dear JapanReference members and readers with nicotine dependent friends or loved ones. Are you forced to watch as your loved one destroys a bit more of their body's ability to receive and transport life giving oxygen with each new puff? I write in hope that you might use a bit of the below info to reach out and help save the life of that very very special person.

There are over one billion comfortable ex-smokers alive on earth today and it was dreams and desires, not strength or willpower, that allowed each to break nicotine's grip upon their brain's reward pathways. What self-taught nicotine lessons did most eventually learn, that your loved one continues to miss?

What will your loved one actually learn from the next quick fix magic cure that fails to perform as promised? What could they possibly learn from a nicotine lozenge, an adhesive nicotine patch, nicotine gum, Zyban, Wellbutrin, hypnosis and/or acupuncture? Who will they next hand their hard earned money and after it痴 gone what learning will have transpired?

Can you briefly study cessation yourself and determine their level of understanding? Let痴 use the nicotine patch as an example. Just how effective do they think it really is in helping smokers quit? The following link is to a medical study published in March 2003 that combined the results of all over-the-counter nicotine patch studies to date and concluded that only 7% of patch users were still not smoking at six-months. Are 93% odds of early relapse critical decision making information?

http://tc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/12/1/21#88

What is the chemical relationship between nicotine and caffeine? Why will the caffeine user's blood serum caffeine level skyrocket to 203% of pre-quitting baseline within 24 hours of ending all nicotine use? How does this factor play a destructive role in making quitting seem almost impossible for heavy caffeine users, and how is it easily corrected without giving up caffeine?

What is the relationship between nicotine and adrenaline? Why can many nicotine addicts skip breakfast and lunch for their entire smoking life and yet almost never sense true hunger? How can this interaction result in wild blood-sugar swing symptoms that can make quitting seem almost impossible for those skipping meals, and how do they correct it without adding lots of extra pounds?

Above are just two examples - among hundreds and hundreds - of nicotine dependency/cessation factors that when pieced together can make your loved one taking back control of their brain's dopamine reward pathways far easier than they ever imagined possible. But when did they take the time to read the instructions that came with their addiction?

My name is John and I, along with scores of others, help facilitate nicotine cessation at one of the internet's growing array of free education and group support forums. In the lower right corner at WhyQuit.com - or http://WhyQuit.org - you'll see a link to a directory of all the major "FREE" online quit smoking forums. If any site asks for any money please drop us a line and we'll have their link immediately removed.

Why would any nicotine dependent human worry about SARS, or even wearing seatbelts for that matter, when there is a very high likelihood (greater than 50%) that their chemical dependency will in the end deprive them of roughly 5,000 sunrises, just as it did to over 4,000,000 during the past twelve months. If it does, it will have done so because they never realized or failed to accept that they knew almost nothing about their addiction or the process of chemical and psychological recovery.

You may want to build a skyscraper but if you don't know how it can prove rather challenging. Knowledge is power!

Oh, there's one very important thing you need to know in trying to help. We nicotine addicts have a love/hate relationship with our drug and will resist to our death "all" offers of help. You see, it's every chemical slaves dream to quit for our own reasons, in our own time, on our own terms, in our own way, and as a result of our own planning, intelligence and follow-through! You must understand that we cannot quit for you, our doctor or because of fear. It must be for us!

Thus, the secret to helping us is in not letting us know that you have in fact played a major role in our dream. The addict's mind must believe that it found the key to the cell, that allowed us to trade places with and successfully arrest our dependency.

So how can you be involved in our dependency education without us realizing that you had a big hand in things? It isn't easy. In fact doing so and keeping it secret for life (which you may need to do in order to avoid the risk of "lost dream" relapse) is a tremendous challenge. But, you love us and that love will find a loving way to connect. I wish you well.

Breathe deep, hug hard, live long,

John R. Polito

[djl_ottawa]

If you're in someones home who smokes the non-smoker is the one who must make the choice. Yet, if the home is a non-smokers it's up to the non-smoker to hand out an ash tray or not.


Both my fiance don't smoke. I am also alergic to smoke so it effects me harder then most. If someone comes to my house they KNOW its a no-smoking area and they need to smoke outside, in the backyard. If its winter (and here we get it COLD) and they still want to smoke they go outside. no discussion.

My parents both smoke and I do not go over alot for that reason. And when I DO go over (sorry for all the caps :p ) I have to take off what I was wearing and wash it and take a shower to get rid of the smell...is this extreme? Yes, for my alergies I have no choice.

[johnpolito]

djl_ottawa, your parents smoke nicotine because they are true drug addicts who think that a short period of "possible" substantial discomfort called quitting - that leads to permanent comfort - is harder than smoking that next cigarette. I seriously doubt that your parents have ever studied their addiction or any of the science on how to make quitting far more comfortable than they can imagine. I hope you find a way to reach them.

This link is to Joel's Library that has been translated into Japanese. I hope they help!

http://www.anti-smoke-jp.com/WhyQuit-jp/com.html

http://www.anti-smoke-jp.com/WhyQuit-jp/joel/comjoel.html

Breathe deep, hug hard, live long,

John

[Squareboy]

Westerners have a bad habit of appling western ideas to Japan, Americans often think that italins drink way too much and this bugs many of them but do the Itialins see anything at all wrong with drinking? Never try to change the Values of Japan, accept them and respect them or stay in the west!

[GaijinGirl]

As a smoker, I for one would be glad to be in a place that was laxer about smoking! To non-smokers in the U.S., it may seem that smoking is all too proliferant, but it is getting harder and harder to find places where it is okay to smoke. In California, you can't even smoke in bars, let alone public restaurants! From a public-health standpoint, I suppose it's a good thing. I mean, I don't smoke in public places where it might be offensive to others, and certainly not around children. I just hate the whole moral-highground aspect of it. It reminds me of the way a vegan* will look at you like a criminal if you put milk your coffee.

*person who neither eats or uses any animal byproducts for ethical and health reasons.

[matt_1469]

Yeah, its the same here in BC, Canada about smoking laws. YOu can't even smoke in a tobbacco shop!!
I'm not saying its good to smoke, but I think as long as its not marketed towards kids, or teens, then let adults make their own decisions.... right.
One thing I know though, is that in Canada, and very likely in the USA, there is soooo much anti smoking ad's out there and people get carried away with it.
I might be mistaken, but i'm sure the life expectancy is much higher for japanese people, even though a huge part of the population smokes compared to north america now. I think that sais a lot. Maybe its a bad life style, a combination of a bad diet, smoking, drinking, no excersize, and even drugs that is killing people more than one thing in particular.

[Weems]

I have Asthma so it would be inconvenient for meif in Tokyo people smoked all over the place.

[Apollo]

I don't smoke, and I have noticed that people in Japan smoke a lot. (also when watching Japanese films, there are always (or quite often) men smoking in the film - which I hardly ever see when watching NEWER American or for that matter; European films (of course it depends on the type of film and characters in it).

[TwistedMac]

I have Asthma so it would be inconvenient for meif in Tokyo people smoked all over the place.
You wont notice the smoke over the pollution from the cars.

[m477]

Both my fiance don't smoke.
Dude! You have TWO fiancees? That sounds expensive...

Anyway, I found that people smoke even more in Korea, they even have ash trays in the bathrooms, at each urinal and in every stall! And they're often filled with cigarette butts!

[Uncle Frank]

how long before the lawyers and Joe Citizen start suing the booze makers? I think booze has caused a lot more deaths then cigs have. It seems like an easy target and as much money or more to be had as they got out of cig manufactures. I guess they figure they could never find 12 jurors who don't drink?

Frank

:blush:

[m477]

They can't take away my alcohol!! If they do I'll probably end up going blind from drinking moonshine someone made in their bathtub...

[Apollo]

HEAR, HEAR!
Living in Denmark and high school and university life in UK and Denmark in general has taught me to drink alcohol!
Although I don't drink as much as I used to when I was in university, :-) they can't take away red wine for my dinner parties!! :D Or: my vodka with juice in bars!!

I don't care if they took away cigarettes because : I DON'T smoke....I hate the smell of cigarettes.
I used to social smoke some years ago, but NO longer, as it is a bad habit!!

[budd]

"I don't smoke, and I have noticed that people in Japan smoke a lot."
i agree with the rest of the post as well.
the hotel room stinks of it. at least the concierge seems nice though

[DragonChan]

It's one of the things that bugs me the most about Japan. I am not allergic to smoke, but it makes me cough and smells terrible. So I hate it if I have to wait at the train station, or go in a restaurant. There is nowhere to go and I am stuck there coughing, or trying not to.

They have non-smoking sections in some restaurants, but they are useless since they tend to be right next to the smoking section so you can smell it anyway. As a general rule I don't mind it if people smoke or drink, as long as it isn't around me.

[corporate punkk]

Whomever wants to enforce non smoking/drinking laws in Japan needs to layoff. First off it's their culture and they'll do what they think is best for them. Secondly, anyone who is opposed to teen drinking/smoking has proven that the United States has been quite effective at decieving you into believing it's all ba dand kills everyone...when was the last time someone close to you died because of any of these 2 drug related problems?

Besides why waste legislative, and law enforcement time on such silly efforts as stoping drug consumption? It's only been going on forever and has never, and will never work. Let the government protect us from others, as for everyone else...try some self responsibility. If you don't like being around people who do such things..you have that right to go elsewhere, nuff' said.

[hirobumi]

it's a cheaper hobby overthere than it is here

[budd]

i agree that its their culture and they should be left alone