Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2011
ashtray
Buying an ashtray in order to stop smoking may not be such a ridiculous contradiction—at least according to trinket-factory Sunart. Adorned with explanatory graphs and charts, the Risks of Tobacco Ashtray lets its users know exactly what dangers their habit could lead them into. ¥1,365, available from Rakuten.
bank
When you feel the urge to buy smokes, put the cash instead into the cigarette vending machine-like Nonsmoking Bank. Within a month you’ll have enough to buy your child a new bike, or embark on a 12-hour drinking binge—whichever you prefer. ¥1,050, available from Amazon.
candy
Battle of the vices: to satisfy one’s sweet tooth or those pesky nicotine cravings? At only 15 calories a pop, packed full of piney goodness and, apparently, perfectly suitable for children, Maruman’s No Smoking Support Candy should help you make the right choice. ¥278 (7 pieces), available from Kenko.
app
If therapy is too expensive, your loved ones can’t stand you and your friends are bored, seek support in everyone’s new best mate, the smartphone. Since iQuit will support you in your nonsmoking, keeping track of the time, estimating the amount of money you save and generally being an electronic shoulder to cry on when you’ve bitten your nails through to the knuckle. Free, from the App Store.
figure
“You can fool everyone but not yourself,” is the convincing argument of My Figure, who—get this—will hand make your Kin’en Figure based on photos of your face and head. This little charlie will then sit on your desk, proudly grinning over a proportionally massive cigarette that he or she has broken over their knee. How could you spark one up with your motivational mini-me staring you in the face? ¥6,970, from myfigure.jp.
