Tobacco in Japan?

[jml5083]

After reading over the boards today I've seen a ton of useful information, the post on tattoos was especially interesting because I'd never heard of that problem before. Which made me think of other things I do that might make life in Japan uncomfortable.

What is the general concensus on smoking/chewing tobacco in Japan? Feel free to elaborate on other drugs too, I personally don't use them but I'm sure theres plenty people dying to know.

[allie2590]

I don't know about chewing tobacco, but I know that there are a lot of smokers in Japan. Although numbers are declining, it's still pretty large.

[Harold]

There are a LOT of smokers in Japan.

They even have vending machines for cigarettes... that's how popular they are. They just recently put in the Taspo card requirement so underage people can't buy them.

[MMM]

There is no chewing tobacco in Japan. Spitting is considered rude. Recreational drugs are very illegal and not nearly as widespread as they are in the US.

[Sangetsu]

Smoking is widespread, but places where you can smoke are becoming more restricted each year. You can still smoke in many restaurants, but in places like train stations, sports centers, etc., you can only smoke in designated areas, or enclosures. There are restrictions being placed on smoking in public, in many places in Tokyo it is illegal to smoke while walking on the sidewalk. In the area where I work, smoking is very restricted. It is prohibited in all the surrounding buildings, there is a designated smoking area near the entrance to the shopping center, but you can't smoke anywhere else.

Drug use is not tolerated in Japan. It's not nearly as easy to smuggle drugs here as it is to America and Europe, and the police deal quickly with drug dealers. In America it very easy to get a lawyer who will defend you to the end against drug charges. In Japan your lawyer will tell you to plead guilty, apologize, and promise not to do it again. If you are a Japanese citizen, you will then do your jail time, and come out with a serious black mark on your record. If you are a foreigner, you'll be deported and never permitted to return again.

Recently one of the traders at my GF's company was arrested for possessing a small amount of marijuana. He was a British citizen working in Japan on a 3 year assignment. After his hearing in court, his visa was revoked, and he was deported instantly. He wasn't even given time to collect his things from his apartment. This was a man who was earning a 7 figure income while working for a multi-national corporation. He didn't have to go to jail, Japan didn't want to pay for his room and board for however long his sentence might be, so they deported him and banned him from ever returning.

[jml5083]

Wow, Crazy. Hehe.

Ya, thankfully, I just smoke the tobacco
And rules for smoking that are just as different everywhere as the cultures...
Just went to austria and germany last spring and I could smoke anywhere I felt like. Damn that was nice.

[JoshAussie]

Even the women!?

thats gross

I cant stand smokers, i honestly cant see the point. also "social smokers" just because people around you are smoking doesnt mean you have too to "fit in" it just makes you loook as retarded as the full time smokers. i mean.. if your not addicted, then your only doing it to try and be cool. which your not.. because your smoking.

[Paul11]

Originally Posted by JoshAussie

Even the women!?

thats gross

I cant stand smokers, i honestly cant see the point. also "social smokers" just because people around you are smoking doesnt mean you have too to "fit in" it just makes you loook as retarded as the full time smokers. i mean.. if your not addicted, then your only doing it to try and be cool. which your not.. because your smoking.

It's Asia, smokers are evertywhere. i would say "everyone smokes" but as Sangetsu was getting at, it's waning these last few years.

[MMM]

I would say it has dropped pretty dramatically in the last 10 years in Japan, but still is about 15 years behind the US in terms of where you can smoke and the number that do it.

10 years ago non-smoking sections were fairly rare, and every seat was "smoking". Now most restaurants have "non-smoking" and some places, like McDonald's have smoking and non-smoking hours in certain sections.

Walking and smoking is discouraged, but still happens. But I do see less people smoking indiscriminently on the train platforms. Now they pretty much go to the proper smoking area.

[JoshAussie]

Originally Posted by Paul11

It's Asia, smokers are evertywhere. i would say "everyone smokes" but as Sangetsu was getting at, it's waning these last few years.

this might sound bad, but what about the women when pregnant? do they get warned or anything about the health risks? or is smoking just a normal day thing which they dont really take notice too?