Smoking...

If you smoke a pack of cigarettes each day then you will spend about $1000.00 per year on smokes. Instead of smoking if you invest that $1000.00 in a typical mutual fund then you can expect an average annual return of around 10%. [About 20% of Williamsport Area High School students regularly smoke.]

Age	Male smoker	Male nonsmoker
16	Spend $1000 on cigarettes (1 pack per day)	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $1000 balance
20	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $6,105.10 balance
25	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $15,937.42 balance
30	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $31,772.48 balance
35	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $57,275.00 balance
40	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $98,347.06 balance
45	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $164,494.02 balance
50	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $271,024.37 balance
55	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $442,592.56 balance
60	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $718,904.84 balance
65	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $1,163,908.53 balance
70	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $1,880,591.42 balance
72	Dead :-(	$2,277,615.62 balance with 7 more years to live!

Age	Female smoker	Female nonsmoker
16	Spend $1000 on cigarettes (1 pack per day)	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $1000 balance
20	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $6,105.10 balance
25	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $15,937.42 balance
30	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $31,772.48 balance
35	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $57,275.00 balance
40	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $98,347.06 balance
45	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $164,494.02 balance
50	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $271,024.37 balance
55	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $442,592.56 balance
60	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $718,904.84 balance
65	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $1,163,908.53 balance
70	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $1,880,591.42 balance
75	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $3,034,816.40 balance
80	Spend $1000 on cigarettes	Add $1000 to mutual fund; $4,893,707.25 balance
81	Dead :-(	$5,384,077.98 balance with 7 more years to live!

*Life expectancy based on U.S. average (2001 data).

So if you start smoking at 16 and smoke a pack and a half of cigarettes per day then your cost is actually a lot more than just $2.75 per pack. If you take the financially sound path then you will be a full-fledged millionaire by the day you retire at 65. Oh yeah... not only will you have more cash, nonsmokers live an average of 7 years longer than smokers so you'll have more time to enjoy your pot of gold and be healthier doing it.

People who give up smoking have a rapidly reduced risk of heart disease and, after a period of years, their death rate is nearly as low as those who never smoked. ¹But that does not mean that you can just "wait until your are older" to quit. Much damage has already been done and is permanent. More

Even tobacco companies admit to making a dangerous product! The Philip Morris web site admits that there are significant, life-threatening risks associated with cigarette use and that it is an addictive drug.

What should you do? If you are a smoker then quit. It won't be easy but it will be the best thing you do in your entire life. You will be able to look forward to an extra few years of life, will have much better health, and will benefit from a significant cost savings by not having to buy tobacco products. If you are a nonsmoker then help your smoker friends quit. They will thank you for it!