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.