Consciousness and Psychological Behaviors of Smokers — Factors that cause people to start , continue , or stop smoking , and measures to be taken —

When implementing anti-smoking measures, we must consider factors such as the consciousness/psychology related to smoking. In Japan, despite legal restrictions, a lot of people start smoking as minors. While their motives for taking up the habit is not very clear, it seems to have to do with how the smoking habit has seeped into the society. The desire to feel connected with friends and availability of cigarettes also contribute to how people take up the habit. If we are to keep minors from smoking, it is important to provide anti-cigarette education that will not stimulate the curiosity of minors while also making adjustments to their social environment. For adults, on the other hand, it is important that we provide accurate knowledge on smoking to help smokers make decisions for themselves. Smokers must also understand the condition of nicotine dependency. When counseling smokers toward cessation, it is necessary to first conduct nicotine replacement therapy if there is marked nicotine dependence, and then help smokers to realize that the issue of smoking has to do with their own health so that they can make decisions for themselves. In the future, not only should changes be made to the social environment so that people are less inclined to smoke, but anti-smoking education should also be developed with the psychological aspects in mind.