SMOKING

The Benefits of Living Smoke Free

March 21, 2017

The Benefits of Living Smoke Free

What do you want to gain from quitting? Check off some reasons to quit.

Health benefits

___  Improve my ability to breathe without coughing or shortness of breath

___  Reduce my risk of lung cancer, heart disease, chronic lung disease

___  Have fewer wrinkles and softer skin

___  Improve my sense of taste and smell

___  For pregnant women—reduce the risk of having a miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, or low-birth-weight baby

Personal benefits

___  Feel more in control of my life

___  Have better-smelling hair, breath, clothes, home, and car

___  Save time by not having to take smoke breaks, buy cigarettes, or hunt for a light

___  Have whiter teeth

Family benefits

___  Reduce my children’s respiratory tract infections

___  Set a good example for my children

___  Reduce my family’s cancer risk

Financial benefits

___  Save hundreds of dollars each year that would be spent on cigarettes

___  Save money on medical bills

___  Save on life, health, and car insurance premiums

 

Those dollars add up!

Cigarettes are expensive, and getting more expensive all the time. Do you realize how much money you are spending on cigarettes per year? What is the average amount you spend on a pack of cigarettes? What is the average number of packs that you smoke per day? Using your answers to these questions, fill in this formula to help you find out:

($ _____ per pack) ×

( _____ number of packs per day) × (365 days) =

$ _____ yearly cost of smoking

Besides tobacco, there are other costs, including extra cleaning bills and replacement costs for clothing and furniture; medical expenses for smoking-related illnesses; and higher health, life, and car insurance premiums.

Cigars and pipes count too!

Cigars and pipes are also dangerous. So are smokeless (chewing) tobacco and snuff. All of these products contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that has harmful effects on your body. Quitting smoking means giving up all tobacco products.

 

For more information

  • https://smokefree.gov/talk-to-an-expert

  • National Cancer Institute Smoking Quitline: 877-44U-QUIT (877-448-7848)

Updated:  

March 21, 2017

Reviewed By:  

Fraser, Marianne, MSN, RN,Perez, Eric, MD