Monkey see

So apparently just watching someone smoke can trigger you. "The volunteers were unaware that the study was about smoking. When they viewed smoking scenes, smokers showed greater brain activity in a part of the parietal lobe called the intraparietal sulcus, as well as other areas involved in the perception and coordination of actions. In the smokers' brains specifically, the activity corresponded to the hand they use to smoke."

Your hand knows you smoke with it. It sees others doing what it wants to do, and it prepares itself for smoking. Your brain sets you up, and your body goes along with it. So what are you supposed to do? Not look at the smokers? Can you imagine walking down the street and averting your eyes. "DON'T LOOK!" you're screaming to yourself. How strange.

Though I'm sure the study is right, because I know watching people smoke in movies makes me think about cigarettes. It's inevitable. It's like trying to pretend no one drinks. You just have to get used to the fact that other people do this stuff, and learn to convince yourself out of it. Luckily, it doesn't take much to think of smoking as bad, but it sure is fun. Sigh.