Smoking in Japan has seen a significant drop — the smoking population has never been this low in the island country, with less than a quarter of the population lighting up.
The annual nationwide survey was released last Friday by Japan Tobacco Inc. — only 24.9% of those surveyed considered themselves regular smokers. Last years figures came in at 25.7%. This years result is the lowest it has been since 1965.
In the past, Japan was considered a paradise for smokers. In 1966, the smoking rate was at a whopping 49.9%. However, the smoking population has gradually decline due to a variety of factors, increased health consciousness, stringent smoking regulations and aging population.
Japan always seems to be ahead of the rest of the world technology-wise and trend-wise, so what is happening in Japan is likely to happen in the Western world, and it is up to smokers to get used to it.
[Via: WSJ]
Being addicted to nicotine can be quite a miserable situation, and there are about a million factors out there to remind smokers of their dire situation. To make things worse, there are even more pills, injections, patches, books, support groups and there have even been attempts to genetically modify smokers to make them quit.
However, one of the most difficult ways to quit seems to be the most successful and that is to quit "cold turkey." This does not mean you have to quit without using any other kind of method, in fact it is encouraged.
Many claim that quitting just like that and using hypnotherapy is the best way. Hypnotherapy is not some kind of voodoo magic, where you change into a different person - it simply helps you change the way you see smoking, which in most cases can be a deciding factor in whether or not a smoker quits. This is a good way to beat the physical and mental aspects of nicotine addiction…
[Via: in2town.co.uk]
Once you have an iPhone you can do just about anything from listening to music to quitting smoking with a dedicated application called My Quitline.
According to GW Hatchett, "My Quitline is a free iPhone application that allows users to instant message and speak over the phone with trained quit-smoking counselors from the National Cancer Institute Quitline."
The 2008 Public Health Service Guideline "Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence" recommended the QuitLine as and effective tool to quit smoking.
As smoking is costing more and more these days perhaps an iPhone could be a good investment for any smoker, and instead of spending money on cigarettes, buying this great piece of technology would be a better idea…
Again, My Quitline is free and available in English in Spanish.
[Via: textually]
Smoking is a habit that is difficult for anyone to kick, but it is hard to imagine where someone living on the streets would find the inspiration to quit.
That said, Burrell Behavioural Health has started up a program to help the less fortunate quit smoking. It's already in place at a shelter called Bill's Place, where anyone can come in, take a shower, get a cup of coffee or just get in from the cold.
Sue, a smoker for 32 years, is taking part in this program, "I've been wanting to quit. I've quit two times before, but I always have gone back. I think through prayer and a friend and the support group has helped me. I can't say it's going to help everybody, but it has helped me."
This is probably the part of society that needs the most help, with the high cost of cigarettes these days, quitting probably means the difference between getting off or staying on the streets.
[Via: ksmu.org]
According to a recent survey, teen smoking has seen a huge drop since 2000. Nearly 40 percent fewer teens are lighting up in Indiana.
It is said by the Indiana Youth Tobacco Survey that 18.3 percent of high school students in the state smoked last year. This was 31.6 percent fewer smokers than at the start of the decade. There was even a larger drop among middle school students, going from 9.8 percent in 2000 to 4.1 percent in 2008. Furthermore, it has been found that only 10 percent of teen smokers have an established habit.
Karla Sneegas, from the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation agency, says that this means that very few teens are becoming regular smokers, which is a huge step forward.
This is the most important age group to focus on, there is no point in dogging on smokers who already have an established habit, instead the younger generation should be focused on.
[Via: chicagotribune.com]
