by Matthew Fulton

Created on: May 04, 2010

There are many reasons why people start smoking. Stress, peer pressure, and the fact that Humphrey Bogart looked so cool doing it are just a few reasons why people have started over the years. While many people find plenty of reasons to start, the reasons to stop smoking are much more obvious and important. The huge cost of smoking cigarettes, someone's own health, and doing away with the negative social stigmas associated with smoking are three very good reasons to stop smoking.

Cigarettes and all other tobacco products have become incredibly expensive over the past few years. The going rate for a pack of name brand smokes is about $6-$7 a pack now, making the habit pretty expensive over the long run. Take someone who is a very light smoker and only smokes one pack a week. That is 52 packs of cigarettes, meaning that that smoker spent $312-$364 over the course of the year on their habit. However, most smokers smoke much more than one pack a week. If you determine the costs of someone who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, the costs are much higher. 365 packs would roughly equal $2200-$2550 a year. If that smoker would cease their habit, they could see the financial benefits when they are able to buy a new high-definition television, put a down payment on a new car, or take a vacation every year instead of spending that money on tobacco. Yes, a little nicotine can be a stress relief, but sitting on a beach in Florida or playing craps in Vegas are very great ways to enjoy that money more.

The health benefits of quitting smoking are obvious. Taking a drag on a cigarette means breathing smoke, something that most people would agree is not healthy. A smoker also ingests carcinogens like tar into their lungs with every puff. This can lead to lung cancer, emphysema, and all sorts of other breathing problems. Smokers often complain of breathing problems, and smokers who have been lighting up for many decades often cough very heavily before, during, and after they smoke. Smoking causes wrinkles around the lips from holding cigarettes in one's mouth, and that just is not very attractive. It also causes bad breath and stained teeth. Who wants this?

The social stigmas of smoking have increased steadily over the years. Many non-smokers will insist that smokers go outside to smoke if they are guests in their home and many people will actively avoid being around people who are in the process of lighting up. People typically do not like being ostracized or told that they are disgusting, so quitting smoking would end this.

Face it, smoking is just a bad idea. So is using any tobacco product. Yes, quitting is hard. I know, I used to dip about three cans of snuff a week. However, by remembering these reasons, I was able to quit my habit. My gums do not hurt any more, and I have much more cash in my wallet. If you are a smoker, please think about these reasons and consider quitting. If you know someone who smokes and you care about them, remind them of these reasons and let them know how much you care.

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