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Salarymen across the nation are weeping into their miso soup this morning with the realization that from today the price of a packet of cigarettes has been increased by 20 yen. Or maybe not. 20 yen isn't much a rise really. As you may know I had a failed attempt at giving up smoking at the beginning of the year. I put in a pretty pathetic attempt really and haven't had another go since. It's definately something that you have to decide to do on your own though - otherwise you can't do it. I've only been a smoker in Japan. I used to think it was completely disgusting. But another reason was the price - a packet of cigarettes in Australia currently costs about AU$10 (about 800 yen). The most expensive ones here cost about 300 yen a packet - even counting in that some of the packets in Australia have more cigarettes in them - that's still a big price difference. The question is though is the high price really that prohibitive? Recently there has been a number of restrictions placed on smokers here. It's not such a bad thing. Even though I smoke I don't like to be in the stream of smoke from other people. I'm usually pretty concerned with where mine goes - especially in a restaurant. I don't like people smoking near me when I'm eating either. And unlike any smokers I've lived with I am obsessed about emptying ashtrays. I hate having full ashtrays around - even 3 butts is enough to prompt me to empty it. I even empty ashtrays at other peoples places. Maybe when I decide to attempt quitting for the second time I should keep a few pics of overflowing ashtrays around to help with my resolve. It's easier to stave off the cravings when you're feeling nauseous.

• The cravings remain exactly the same always and forever, it’s noticing that they are nothing that is the key. The body never craves nicotine. It’s all-in-the-m-i-n-d.

  If you ever find your self out in the western suburbs at tsutsujigaoka, you have to jump up and down, scream and shout, and say hello to the world from me.

  Rastafarout
  03/07/01 12:43 PM

• In my experience the cravings disappear. Don’t keep Pics of overflowing ashtrays, keep a Real overflowing ashtray. This is how my boyfriend stopped. Whenever he felt like a ciggie, he would pick it up, bing it right up to his nose and inhale several times deeply. He did that with the same ashtray for about a month. It was so disgusting to look at that it prompted me to stop too…

  Meenoo
  03/07/01 08:32 PM

• I have patches but haven’t used them yet..  I live alone and it is quite sad but my ciggies are the substitute for comfort food when I am at home..  I guess I need a better reason to give up - I do want to but haven’t found a good substitute yet..  methinks I need a man!!  :(

  GG
  03/07/02 06:27 PM

• Maybe a “non-smoking” man - I must admit that I too reach for the ciggies instead of comfort food…

  MJ
  03/07/02 06:37 PM

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