How many smokers do we have? (blood, disease)

[jewscout]

i used to smoke pretty heavily but, even in VA, it got expensive...almost $3 for a pack of Marlboro Reds

[robtex]

Originally Posted by jewscout

i used to smoke pretty heavily but, even in VA, it got expensive...almost $3 for a pack of Marlboro Reds

JS you may be overlooking some obvious figures. Say you smoke two packs a day. That is 6 bucks a day, 42 bucks a week or 1128 a year on cigs. You with me so far?

Now, when you think your non-cig daily expenses lets say you eat one fast food meal a day two grocery store meals that comes out to lets say 10 dollars. You spend 30 bucks a week on gas. The 30 bucks be very conservative considering today's prices. In addition your rent or morgage is 500 a month for say 30 years (than morgage paid off again being conservative . That means every year you will spend, 1560 in gas, say 3650 on food ( 10 a day) 3000 on rent for the 30 years to an annual living expense of 8210 per year for the first 30 years (not adjusted for inflation) and 5210 for the rest.

Now you start smoking at the age of 18. By 58 ( 40 years) you keel over dead where you would have nomally lived an additional 15 (again conservative estimate) if you had not smoked. Well if you do the math, 1128 x 40 = 45,120 on lifetime supply of cigs and the expenses for the extra 15 years ( 5210 x 15) = 78150. If you subtract the cost of living the extra 15 years from the cost of cigs for your lifetime ( 78150-45120) you get 33,030 in savings by shorting your life span from smoking. Now who can resist smoking with good economic sense like that!!

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by Aqualung

I would tend to disagree with you there. I know people who are very, very smart, and they knew why smoking was bad, and what it would do to you, and the fact that it was extremely gross. But one or the other parents smoked. So they would think, "why is my respected, smarter than me parent smoking? Is it more than just a gross habit?" So they would try it, realise that it is just a gross habit, but then be addicted. Even though they knew all the risks and all that, they still got hooked, just because they didn't understand it.

Aqualung, if someone knows that smoking is addictive and that it will kill you, plus give you numerous health problems during life, and starts smoking because their parents do - i'd not only question their level of intelligence, but also their ability to think for themselves.

[jamaesi]

Not everyone smokes to "just look cool."

[Aqualung]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

Aqualung, if someone knows that smoking is addictive and that it will kill you, plus give you numerous health problems during life, and starts smoking because their parents do - i'd not only question their level of intelligence, but also their ability to think for themselves.

Well, of course they would know all that. But they must have thought that there was some reason for people to begin in the first place. That somehow there was some hidden pleasure, for so many people to be smokers. That's fairly rational, to think that perhaps there is some reason that people would do such a seemingly disgusting thing all the time.

[Feathers in Hair]

My mom has severe asthma, so smoking's never really been appealing to me. (Since we're in the same household.) I try to only use tobacco in ceremony and my medicine-work.

Plus, I know I've got an addictive personality, so I kinda don't want to give myself even the option of trying it.

[kreeden]

Originally Posted by jewscout

i used to smoke pretty heavily but, even in VA, it got expensive...almost $3 for a pack of Marlboro Reds

\

$3 a pack ? Those were the " good old days ". They are pushing $10 Canadian here . ... I figure that I have spent around $100,000 on tobacco in my life . Now that is just a guess , but how stupid is that ? And yea , I still smoke . I'm grumpy enough as is ... But I do plan to try to break the habit after my holidays . Can't afford not to .

[Terrywoodenpic]

I was a real addict, at least an ounce a day of strong pipe tobbaco. and I enhaled it.
if I ran out I could make do with 40 cigs a day.
Gave up when I was 30 ( 40 years ago) and I am still an addict. you never lose that urge.
But I have never touched one since. Though for the first couple of years I use to move close to smokers.


Terry
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Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.