For all those retailers worried about the declining popularity of smoking, The Mirror may have flagged up the next big sales opportunity. It reported on an office worker who is undergoing hypnotism in an attempt to stop him munching through 50 biros each week. John Carey spends about £50 a month on 200 pens after his company refused to buy any more. He began nibbling on pens when he was stressed. He said: "It started about five years ago and became a habit that spiralled out of control. "When my colleagues would say, I'm dying for a fag,' I'd say, I'm dying for a pen.' My favourites are the clear-plastic Bic pens because the plastic is more chewy." {{COUNTERPOINT }}

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