Americans spend at least $1mn on cigarette smoking in their lifetimes

January 22, 2015 By AH 25 Comments

A new study has showed that the Americans who are engaged in smoking habit spend at least USD one million dollars on expenditures related to cigarette buying, whether modern electronic cigarette or traditional one, over their lifetimes.

The conclusion was made on a state-by-state analysis by the financial consultancy company WalletHub.

In the study, Alaska emerged as the most expensive state for smokers where more than USD 2 million dollars were spent on average on the smoking habit. South Carolina, on the other hand, reported that the smoking habit costs roughly USD 1.1 million.

While talking about the revelations made in the study, WalletHub spokeswoman Jill Gonzalez said, “I and most people really just think of the cost of cigarettes and taxes on the packs, but if you think about the healthcare costs, which can totally be avoided, healthcare insurance premiums, and in the workplace, bias against smokers, that can … add up.”

In the study, “average smoker” is defined as a person who is smoking one pack a day from the age of 18 (which is the legal age to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products) and ending the habit at the age of 69 (which is the average age of death for a smoker).

The report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows 42.1 million people in the country (who are at least 18-year-old) smoke and this costs a whopping USD 301 billion per year and the expense is set to grow unabatedly.

Violetta

I think these numbers are inflated. I would guess around $150,000 max
georgebeach

of which 750,000 goes to Taxes/Extortion!
asdf

Sounds pretty steep. Maybe at 4 packs a day.
taxedmore

I am always amazed at how I have to pay their rent, pay for their food, pay for their healthcare – but they always seem to have enough money for their cigarettes and tattoos. That’s what the liberals and progressives call “fair”.
- georgebeach
  
  How are you paying for smokers. Who is paying for your stupidity??
John Michael Law

Assuming a 40 year smoking habit that turns into $25k a year. I no not believe these numbers could possibly be accurate. I suppose if you smoke you have to buy cigarettes, and to buy cigarettes you have to go to the store, and to go to the store you have to own a car, and to own a car you have to buy gas and pay insurance…. But it would be a little foolish to lump every expenditure into the nicotine category.
georgebeach

Buy RYO – In Chicago it is about $10 a pack, if you RYO as I do, it is about $1.50 a pack. The rest is taxes, I mean, EXTORTION which I do NOT pay!
- rob908
  
  I hope you pay your own medical bills. If you have public healthcare, then you are extorting taxpayers. If you private healthcare, then you are extorting the other members of your group.
  - georgebeach
    
    Mind your own biz!! No one is paying any health care for me so get bent with your assumptions!
    - rob908
      
      It’s great news that no one is paying for your healthcare. I hope you are socking away all of the money you are saving by RYO for those medical bills you will be receiving. May you retain your idealism when you need 5 minutes to catch your breath from the effort of getting out of bed.
      - georgebeach
        
        been smoking for 20 years. Been at least 10 years since I have seen or needed to see any doctors. Keep dreaming and believing the lies! If you care about the air so much, stop driving gas fueled cars
      - rob908
        
        If you reject 60 years of research and 60 years actual health outcomes experience connected to smoking and you believe that smoking is not harmful, then there is nothing more to say to you. God bless and good luck.
      - georgebeach
        
        I reject research that does not take pollution into effect when a person who smokes dies from lung cancer! The research is FLAWED and if you just believe that, you will believe anything. Watch yourself, you are going to fall hard. Blessed Be
rob908

The $1M includes all of the health-care expenses related to a lifetime of smoking. Smoking is linked to the development on 9 different cancers (lung, gum, throat, etc), and 10 other chronic diseases (heart, lung disease, etc). Chemo, radiation, respiratory therapy, etc, all costs money and, for many smokers (excluding those with family history, environmental/occupational hazards), can be directly linked to smoking,
- georgebeach
  
  the open air is associated with cancer also, no one complaining about that but smokers , More pollution comes from a single car than a lifetime of smoking. Stop believing everything you hear on TV!
  - rob908
    
    Many people complain about air quality. Why anyone would add to that by smoking is sometimes unfathomable. That is until you realize that smoking is an addiction that is hard to break. It is easier to deny a problem exists than to deal with it.
    - georgebeach
      
      right, so stop driving gas fueled cars or shutup!
- Common Sense
  
  The study this article is written about puts the medical costs at 200k over the lifetime.
fullreserve

Other studies have shown that lifetime government handouts are much lower for smokers vs non-smokers, because the smokers drop dead before they can use much Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security.

See http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2012/11/29/fewer-smokers-means-higher-taxpayer-costs-study-finds/ for example
- rob908
  
  Perhaps the government should encourage all patriotic Americans to smoke as a way of closing the deficit and reducing the debt?
- Common Sense
  
  I believe this. They probably live 10+ years less, on average, which means they recieve benefits for 10 less years than a healthy adult.
- tate matson
  
  What I find interesting is how the MEDIA and our Western Governments leave out some important facts about Nicotine which comes from Tobacco leafs aka an Organic Substance……..All Natural….:See important facts about Nicotine: Nicotine is a natural product of tobacco, occurring in the leaves in a range of 0.5 to 7.5% depending on variety.Nicotine appears to have significant performance enhancing effects, particularly in fine motor skills, attention, and memory. These beneficial cognitive effects may play a role in the initiation and maintenance of tobacco dependence. Nicotine is a potent parasympathomimetic alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae) and a stimulant drug. Nicotine intake has been proven to prevent ulcerative colitis(irritable bowl syndrome / and some “forms” of Cronhn Syndrome) has been frequently shown to be reduced in smokers on a dose-dependent basis; the effect is eliminated if the individual stops smoking. Smoking also appears to greatly lower the development of Kaposi’s sarcoma in patients with HIVIt is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist,[1][2] except at nAChRα9 and nAChRα10 where it acts as an antagonist.[1] It is made in the roots of and accumulates in the leaves of the nightshade family of plants. It constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco[3] and is present in the range of 2–7 µg/kg of various edible plants. Nicotine also naturally occurs in smaller amounts in plants from the family Solanaceae (such as potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant).Historically, nicotine has not been regarded as a carcinogen.[43] The IARC has not evaluated nicotine in its standalone form or assigned it to an official carcinogen group. While no epidemiological evidence supports that nicotine alone acts as a carcinogen in the formation of human cancer. There is evidence that nicotine itself has the potential to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease. At low doses, nicotine potently enhances the actions of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain, causing a drug effect typical of those of psychostimulants. At higher doses, nicotine enhances the effect of serotonin and opiate activity, producing a calming, pain-killing effect. Nicotine is unique in comparison to most drugs, as its profile changes from stimulant to sedative/pain killer in increasing dosages and use, a phenomenon described by Paul Nesbitt in his doctoral dissertation[35] and subsequently referred to as “Nesbitt’s Paradox”When a cigarette is smoked, nicotine-rich blood passes from the lungs to the brain within seven seconds and immediately stimulates the release of many chemical messengers such as acetylcholine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, arginine vasopressin, serotonin, dopamine, and beta-endorphin.[28][29] This release of neurotransmitters and hormones is responsible for most of nicotine’s psychoactive effects. Nicotine appears to enhance concentration, and memory due to the increase of acetylcholine. It also appears to enhance alertness due to the increases of acetylcholine and norepinephrine. Arousal is increased by the increase of norepinephrine. Pain is reduced by the increases of acetylcholine and beta-endorphin. Anxiety is reduced by the increase of beta-endorphin. Nicotine also extends the duration of positive effects of dopamine[31] and increases sensitivity in brain reward systems.[32] Most cigarettes (in the smoke inhaled) contain 1 to 3 milligrams of nicotine. First causing a release of glucose from the liver and epinephrine (adrenaline) from the adrenal medulla, it causes stimulation. Users report feelings of relaxation, sharpness, calmness, and alertness
Common Sense

Obviously, smoking is bad. But this is just flat out wrong. The study that this article quotes puts medical costs at approx. $200,000 related to cigarettes, meaning $800,000 comes from purchasing cigarettes. Quick math shows this to be wrong; at $6/pack and a 2-pack a day smoker would spend approx. $4400/year or $220,000 over 50 years. Combine the medical and cigarette costs and you get $420,000… any idea where the other 600k is coming from?
- rob908
  
  Your “back of the envelope” calculations are compelling. It’s hard to say how they came to $1 million besides “It’s a good round headlining number”. That said, i wonder if inflation been baked into this calculation? Fifty years from now (2065), a pack of cigarettes (assuming they are still around) will likely cost much more than $6/pack.
- tate matson
  
  What I find interesting is how the MEDIA and our Western Governments leave out some important facts about the Natural Drugs Nicotine which is naturally found in Tobacco LEAVES: See important facts about Nicotine:
  Nicotine is a natural product of tobacco, occurring in the leaves in a range of 0.5 to 7.5% depending on variety.Nicotine appears to have significant performance enhancing effects, particularly in fine motor skills, attention, and memory. These beneficial cognitive effects may play a role in the initiation and maintenance of tobacco dependence. Nicotine is a potent parasympathomimetic alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae) and a stimulant drug. Nicotine intake has been proven prevent ulcerative colitis(irritable bowl syndrome / and some “forms” of Cronhn Syndrome) has been frequently shown to be reduced in smokers on a dose-dependent basis; the effect is eliminated if the individual stops smoking. Smoking also appears to greatly lower the development of Kaposi’s sarcoma in patients with HIVIt is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist,[1][2] except at nAChRα9 and nAChRα10 where it acts as an antagonist.[1] It is made in the roots of and accumulates in the leaves of the nightshade family of plants. It constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco[3] and is present in the range of 2–7 µg/kg of various edible plants. Nicotine also naturally occurs in smaller amounts in plants from the family Solanaceae (such as potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant).Historically, nicotine has not been regarded as a carcinogen.[43] The IARC has not evaluated nicotine in its standalone form or assigned it to an official carcinogen group. While no epidemiological evidence supports that nicotine alone acts as a carcinogen in the formation of human cancer. There is evidence that nicotine itself has the potential to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease. At low doses, nicotine potently enhances the actions of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain, causing a drug effect typical of those of psychostimulants. At higher doses, nicotine enhances the effect of serotonin and opiate activity, producing a calming, pain-killing effect. Nicotine is unique in comparison to most drugs, as its profile changes from stimulant to sedative/pain killer in increasing dosages and use, a phenomenon described by Paul Nesbitt in his doctoral dissertation[35] and subsequently referred to as “Nesbitt’s Paradox”When a cigarette is smoked, nicotine-rich blood passes from the lungs to the brain within seven seconds and immediately stimulates the release of many chemical messengers such as acetylcholine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, arginine vasopressin, serotonin, dopamine, and beta-endorphin.[28][29] This release of neurotransmitters and hormones is responsible for most of nicotine’s psychoactive effects. Nicotine appears to enhance concentration, and memory due to the increase of acetylcholine. It also appears to enhance alertness due to the increases of acetylcholine and norepinephrine. Arousal is increased by the increase of norepinephrine. Pain is reduced by the increases of acetylcholine and beta-endorphin. Anxiety is reduced by the increase of beta-endorphin. Nicotine also extends the duration of positive effects of dopamine[31] and increases sensitivity in brain reward systems.[32] Most cigarettes (in the smoke inhaled) contain 1 to 3 milligrams of nicotine. First causing a release of glucose from the liver and epinephrine (adrenaline) from the adrenal medulla, it causes stimulation. Users report feelings of relaxation, sharpness, calmness, and alertness