Posted: Dec 30, 2007, 12:52 PM CST
I never smoked but I empathize with you all who have been snookered into starting way back when.
I almost started when 2 hott chics came around to my neighborhood and in order to appear older (I was 16) I bought a pack of "Marlboros" and would light up whenever they were around. I never enjoyed it and one day I looked at these chics and said to myself "they aint so hot, what the hell am I torturing myself for, it's not even getting me any closer to them." So I gave the rest of the pack away.
I'd like to contribute to all your efforts with this:
Here in Virginia cigarettes are dirt cheap but even at these low prices smoking will cost you a fortune during a lifetime. For example:
Based on 2 packs a day at $3.50 a pack ($35.00) a carton of 10, comes to $1,820.00 per year and in a lifetime of smoking (say 40 years) that adds up to $72,800.00. That's enough to buy a brand new Z06 Corvette, a moderate house, put 2 kids through an OK college, pay your car insurance for life and if the money earns just 3% over those 40 years it can be well over $140,000.00.
Do the math for a pack of smokes in your area and it could be close to a half a million bucks.
This example ignores the other substantial costs associated with smoking like health care costs, higher insurance premiums, lost wages and the ultimate wake up call, being told by a disinterested doctor that you have lung cancer.