Drinking + Smoking=Long Life?
(Written by: Mike L., Originally posted on adventurasia.freezope.org around 2003~2004)
Japan, and the Japanese culture has quite often been synonymous with longevity. People will often say that this phenomenon is due to healthy living, a good diet, regular excercise, etc. After living in Tokyo for two years, I often wonder who are the people that come to these strange conclusions.
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Having been observing the Japanese (or more specifically, Tokyo) culture for the past two years, I am often puzzled why Japanese people live so long. Night after night, I see drunk “salarymen”, on the trains, on the train platforms, stumbling to and from the train stations, completely pissed, sometimes literally! Due to their heavy drinking, they often pass out, barf, or otherwise excrete bodily fluids. Now, I’m no health expert, but tossing your cookies every night and drinking until you lose consciousness CAN’T really be good for you.
Smoking is another key to long life, supposedly. Let’s face it. EVERYBODY smokes here. Why wouldn’t you? It’s incredibly convienient to smoke–you only need to walk two blocks before you find a vending machine thats absolutely dying to sell you some of its death sticks for around 200 yen a pack. You have such a wide selection to choose from, and they usually come in such attractive packaging too! Maybe the Tobacco companies should start putting Baseball cards in the packs to try selling more.
In Vancouver, Canada, where I am from, its a different story. They actually try to DISCOURAGE you from smoking, can you believe it? Not only are packs of smokes ridiculously expensive, sometimes escalating above 500 Yen a pack, but on the package there is a nice warning along the lines of “SMOKING WILL KILL YOU”, along with a lovely photo of somebodys infected lung or other organ. Gross. What are they trying to do? Make me sick?
In Canada there are strict laws and fines for underage users of Alcohol and Cigarettes. 19 is the Legal age to use both of these vices, and by no means impossible, it is a little more difficult to get access to them. In Japan, on the otherhand, minors can get both Alcohol and Cigarettes anywhere, and with little trouble. Convienience stores offer an endless variety of Alcoholic beverages at dirt cheap prices; although you must be 20 years old to imbibe in these drinks, it is ok for younger patrons to buy for their “parents” (read: themselves). Vending machines, as mentioned above, are readily accessible and I’m sure are not monitored for any devious underage use/abuse.
Maybe starting good drinking and smoking habits at such an early age is the key to Japanese long life? If anyone would like to shed some light on this topic, please enlighten me!
Next article:
Greasy Tonkatsu and Tempura–the secret foods to add years to your life!
Filed under: Japan
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