Friday night at Quenchers, some promoter was giving away packs of Camel Crush. That Boing Boing page brings up an interesting difference between Japan, where the cigarettes were initially run in test markets, and the United States. People here are much more likely to adhere to a single brand of cigarettes for their entire lives.

I interpret this loyalty as a sign of addiction, for better or worse. Most people end up choosing a brand of cigarettes that’s either the least expensive or the most widely available (Marlboro reds, or Pall Malls of yore). These are the same people who buy cartons at a time because they know they’ll always be smoking the same kind.

There’s another group, in which I’d place myself, of people who smoke because they like to smoke. I haven’t ever smoked regularly for more than a few months at a time, but I also like to try different cigarettes and see what’s out there. I don’t drink the same tea every day, or eat the same thing for lunch, so why would I always smoke the same cigarettes?

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