Health Tips

The personal and social costs of smoking outweigh any benefits that you might think you have when you choose to light up.  Some of these costs are easily measured, such as the cost of your habit, while others, such as lost opportunities, cannot be measured so easily.

Smokers are not “cool” anymore

* There used to be a time when smoking was accepted as the norm.  Cigarette makers used to be able to advertise their products on television, however on August 1, 1965, all commercials advertising cigarettes were banned.  This was the beginning of a trend against smoking, and states everywhere are adopting no smoking policies in businesses and even public outdoor places.

* It is less socially acceptable to smoke now than ever before.  Friends may request that you don’t smoke around them, either in their cars or their homes, and even landlords may choose not to rent to you because of the higher maintenance and insurance costs involved.  Trying to find a restaurant that has a smoking area is very difficult, if not impossible in some states, and some places, such as California, have made it illegal for you to smoke in your car with children in it.  While it is a good thing not to smoke around kids, it is one more example of the way that society is changing in its attitude toward smoking, and by extension, towards people who smoke.

Smokers pay a lot for their habit

* Smoking can cost you financially.  The cost of tobacco has increased exponentially over the last decade and every economic sign shows that it will not go back down again. Ever. So stopping the habit right now can start putting more money in your pocket immediately, without a pay increase.

Smokers can miss out on job opportunities

* Most every workplace has rules against smoking and some even state their preference for hiring non-smokers only. Studies have shown that smoking employees cost employers more because they are out sick more, which not only increases the cost of insurance for the employer, but also puts undue stress on other employees who need to pick up the slack, or additional costs acquired because of the need to hire additional temporary staffing.  Being a smoker in today’s high unemployment environment can be a costly habit.

Smokers can lose out in the dating scene

Your dating prospects may be limited as well, because less than 21% of the adult population smokes now, and most nonsmokers choose to find other nonsmokers rather than someone who smokes. One survey revealed, “Only 7% of non-smoking women will even consider dating a man who smokes”. These kinds of statistics might explain why you haven’t had a date for a while!

Only you can decide if the personal and social costs of smoking outweigh the negative aspects.  It can be difficult to quit, but not impossible.  There are many tools you can use to help you, from nicotine gum, to shots, psychotherapy, or plain old fashioned “cold turkey”, but no matter what method you decide to choose, stopping the bad habit of lighting up can help your pocketbook, your insurance premiums, and perhaps even your love life!