In Japan, smoking is treated more as an environmental problem than a health problem. In the past few years, laws banning street smoking in certain districts have been passed, and designated smoking booths have popped up all over major cities. The Osaka municipal government claims to have spent 10 million yen last year on cleaning up cigarette butts off the street. That's why Japan Tobacco--the world's #3 tobacco company--is trying to revamp the image of smoking to be something trendy and clean.
This is Japan Tobacco's new Mobile Ashtray Museum, part of the company's latest campaign for "clean" smoking. It sells over 300 kinds of portable ashtrays. Apparently, 70% of Japanese smokers own one, and 27% carry theirs around for daily use. The goal of JT's campaign is to up the latter figure to 30% by the end of next year.
Keep checking back for more featured mobile ashtrays! Read more here.
i have a westwood one myself, and its by far one of the best investments ive ever made. nothing irks me more than smokers who liter! and now in san diego i cant smoke at the beach or at parks or even with the window rolled down in a few counties! >_< i miss japan~
Posted by: robbie | November 20, 2006 at 05:12 PM