Photo by © CUREAPP INC. via
The Japan Times
Vocabulary:
- vice /vahys/
[noun] illegal and immoral activities
Drinking too much alcohol is a vice that will take its toll on him someday.
- withdrawal /with-DRAW-uhl/
[noun] means the physical and mental effects experienced when a person stops something
The symptoms of withdrawal are difficult to overcome that could lead to relapse.
- cessation /se-SEY-shuhn/
[noun] the ending of a condition or the stopping of an activity
The government issued a cessation of all operations of corrupt factories.
- obstacle /OB-stuh-kuhl/
[noun] something that blocks you so that movement, going forward, or action is prevented or made more difficult
The obstacles that you experience in life helps you grow as a person.
- relieve /ri-LEEV/
[verb] to improve an unpleasant situation
She always exercises every morning to stay fit and to relieve stress.
A new app designed by Keio University and CureApp Inc. in Tokyo, Japan helps smokers cut out their vices. Based on the pharmaceutical trials, the device analyzed the data from patients who were in the middle of withdrawal treatment. The app examined patient’s medical conditions and the amount of carbon monoxide their breath contains. By examining the breath, the app gives regular advice to smokers to keep them from smoking. The university and the medical clinics conducted a series of tests of the app from October 2017 until the end of 2018. In collaboration with 572 participants from 31 medical facilities all over the country, only 285 individuals used the app. They concluded that those who used the application device became smoke-free after six months.
According to Dr. Kota Satake, the president of the institution and also a physician, “In normal smoking cessation treatment, doctors are unable to treat patients’ psychological addiction until their next regularly scheduled session. This has been an obstacle for patients who had to fight the addiction alone.” The patients can visit the app daily to relieve their psychological addiction. Based on the health ministry records, 17.7% of people in Japan frequently smoked tobacco in 2017 with the rate falling from 24.4% in 2007. The largest percentage of smokers was about 40% among men in their 30s and 40s. While public health insurance covered treatments for individuals who wanted to quit smoking, only 27% of those patients stayed away from the habit after a year of receiving therapy. Moreover, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government urged to promote a smoke-free environment in line with the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. The government will then enforce a law that prohibits smoking in bars and restaurants.
True or False:
- Keio University designed an app that can help smokers stop smoking.
- The app examined patient’s medical conditions and the amount of carbon dioxide in their breath.
- Based on the article, the device gives daily advice on what the patient needs to do to stop them from smoking.
- The largest percentage of smokers was about 40% among women in their 40s and 50s.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government urged to promote a public smoking area in line with the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think is the best way for someone to quit smoking? Please explain your answer.
- Do you think it is possible to quit smoking within a short period of time? Why or why not?
- Do you think quitting a vice is just mind over matter? Please explain your answer.
- Why do some people still smoke even though they know it is dangerous? Please explain your answer.
- Do you think it is possible to ban smoking cigarettes all over the world? Please explain your answer.
Express Your Opinion:
- “Smoking is hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, and dangerous to the” lungs.’- King James I
- “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates
- “Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness.”- Edward Smith-Stanley
※レッスン教材に関するアンケートのお願い
[noun] illegal and immoral activities
Drinking too much alcohol is a vice that will take its toll on him someday.
[noun] means the physical and mental effects experienced when a person stops something
The symptoms of withdrawal are difficult to overcome that could lead to relapse.
[noun] the ending of a condition or the stopping of an activity
The government issued a cessation of all operations of corrupt factories.
[noun] something that blocks you so that movement, going forward, or action is prevented or made more difficult
The obstacles that you experience in life helps you grow as a person.
[verb] to improve an unpleasant situation
She always exercises every morning to stay fit and to relieve stress.
According to Dr. Kota Satake, the president of the institution and also a physician, “In normal smoking cessation treatment, doctors are unable to treat patients’ psychological addiction until their next regularly scheduled session. This has been an obstacle for patients who had to fight the addiction alone.” The patients can visit the app daily to relieve their psychological addiction. Based on the health ministry records, 17.7% of people in Japan frequently smoked tobacco in 2017 with the rate falling from 24.4% in 2007. The largest percentage of smokers was about 40% among men in their 30s and 40s. While public health insurance covered treatments for individuals who wanted to quit smoking, only 27% of those patients stayed away from the habit after a year of receiving therapy. Moreover, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government urged to promote a smoke-free environment in line with the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. The government will then enforce a law that prohibits smoking in bars and restaurants.