HK is Smokin'

If you like to smoke, or smoke itself, come to Hong Kong. You still have until 2007 to smoke freely almost anywhere. It looks like a good third of all males here smoke cigarettes regularly. However, the way in which cigarettes are smoked here seems different from other places. It is a sad, desperate type of inhalation, in which they know each puff could be their last, but keep smoking because they almost want it to end. That does sound quite morbid, but that's the feeling I get. It's the type of smoking that is coupled by the squinting of the eyes as the smoke is drawn in, that tasty, necessary addiction being satisfied. Add in some local curse words about having lost the latest bet on the horse race and you pretty much have the complete picture. Alright, that might be a niche segment... but not as niche as you might think.

There is so much smoke that sometimes you can't simply hold your breath or walk around the mini-cloud. You are just...in it.

Japan is bad too, and lots more women smoke there vs HK, but the way in which smoking is carried out does not seem as desperate. It just seems more habitual, and not necessarily every cigarette is smoked to the butt.