Cost of Smoking Calculator

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On average, your smoking costs are per month (30 days) and per year (365 days).

Health Effects of Smoking

Smoking contributes or causes breathing problems, heart disease and cancer.

Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals, and at least 60 of them cause cancer. Smoking is linked to lung cancer, mouth cancer and cancer of the larynx, esophagus, cervix, pancreas, kidney and bladder. Smoking accounts for a third of all cancer deaths in this country and 90 percent of all lung cancers.

In the lungs, smoking destroys the ability of the lungs to clean themselves, making them more susceptible to pneumonia. Smoking causes bronchitis and emphysema, together called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. By 2020, COPD will be the third leading cause of death worldwide.

Smoking increases the risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death in this country. Smoking causes cholesterol to be deposited in blood vessels, making them narrower. It causes blood to clot more easily. This can lead to blood clots that block the flow of blood or travel to organs such as the lungs or to the brain. Cigarette smoke can damage the heart at much lower levels than those that lead to lung disease.

Smoking affects not only you, the smoker, but also those around you who are exposed to your smoke. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to have bronchitis, pneumonia and ear infections.

Effects of Smoking on Productivity

Smokers miss more days of work than people who don't smoke, because of tobacco-related health problems. In 1999, the latest year for which statistics are available, for each pack of cigarettes sold, $3.45 was spent on medical care because of smoking and $3.73 went for lost productivity. (That's in addition to the price of the pack itself.)

This information is not intended as a substitute for professional healthcare. Always consult with a healthcare provider for advice concerning your health. Only your health care provider can advise you about your health.