The Real Cost of Cigarettes - How you can save your health and your money

How Much Can You Save By Not Smoking Cigarettes?

When people mention the costs of smoking, the conversation typically revolves around the widespread negative health effects it can cause. But how often do we stop to consider the impact it does on our bank accounts, or how much money you can really save by not smoking? Well, smokers will be intimately aware how expensive their habit has become, and the costs are only continuing to grow.

Firstly, let’s ask, ‘how much does a pack of cigarettes cost in Australia?’ The answer is: more every day. 

The primary reason behind the growing costs of cigarettes and tobacco beyond normal inflation is the taxes placed on this product to deter consumers. Proven to be the most cost-effective way to lower the amount of tobacco consumption, taxes on tobacco have been steadily increasing, with 2020 seeing a new high for federal revenue from tobacco products at $16.27 billion dollars. This high amount is also to help pay for the added costs placed on the healthcare system, with various studies indicating that healthcare costs are 40% higher for smokers than non-smokers, and approximately $6.8 billion in direct health care costs and 1.7 million hospital admissions for smoking related conditions each year. In favour for the argument of taxes, however, is the apparent efficacy of the initiative. According to studies conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), for every 10% tax increase on tobacco products, consumption subsequently decreases by 4%. 

This brings the actual costs of smoking into question. Naturally, smokers will consume different amounts, so smoking costs will vary. Conservative estimates, however, places someone who smokes a pack a day to spend nearly over $11,000 every year cigarettes. Over 30 years, this can total close to $330,000 – more than half of the recommended retiring amount for couples. Even conservative estimates speculating how much money you can save by not smoking state that a pack a day smoker will save at least $9,000 each year. It is important to also remember the fines imposed should anyone break the various smoking laws implemented across Australia. After the Tobacco Act 1987 was introduced in Victoria, for example, there has been a range of restrictions on the locations available to smoke, such as in workplaces, on public transport, school grounds, and sporting venues. Not only does this cause a great interruption to a smoker’s day, but should these rules be violated, then fines can be applied ranging between a few hundred dollars to over $8,000 for a single instance. With all of this in mind, it gives new answers to our initial question, ‘how much does a pack of cigarettes cost in Australia?’

Your health and the cost smoking

As we have discussed, smoking is incredibly damaging to one’s financial health, but is that really the true cost? Money is essential to keep a roof over our heads, foods on our tables, and provide security for the future of our families, but what good is it if you’re not there to see the fruits of your labour? The real cost, of course, has to be the damage smoking does to our bodies. 

After all, it can bring disease or disability to almost every organ and system we depend on for survival. Smoking is still the nation’s leading preventable cause of death, and directly kills approximately 24,000 Australians every year, and 7 million people across the world. But we can’t simply look at the death count to get an understanding of the widespread health effects caused by smoking, as for every death, there are at least 30 more people continuing to suffer with a serious illness brought on by the habit. 

Nicotine is highly addictive, that is no secret. Unfortunately, continuing to smoke means reducing not only life expectancy, but quality of life, considering the increased risk for a range of debilitating conditions and diseases. Many smokers think these will only occur later in life, or that they are part of the ‘lucky’ few who will dodge any serious health effects, despite statistics stating two-thirds of long term smokers die of smoking related diseases. These include:

• Cancer: Wherever the effects of smoking can reach, cancer is liable to develop – and that is anywhere on the body. Most predominantly in the form of lung cancer, it is also common to find cases within the lips, mouth, tongue, throat, oesophagus, throat, nose, stomach kidney, pancreas, liver, and bladder.
• Respiratory Conditions: Alongside cancer, smoking is also the leading cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is a damaging condition limiting airflow available in the lungs. Sufferers of asthma who choose to smoke may also see their conditions worsen. 
• Cardiovascular Issues: Smoking is an enormous contributor to cardiovascular disease, particularly heart disease and stroke. As blood clots form in thickened blood, circulation is cut off from limbs and extremities, often resulting in the need for amputation. 
• Type 2 Diabetes: Smokers have a 30% to 40% higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes than non-smokers, and can even worsen the condition of type 1 sufferers due to impairment with kidney disease. 
• Weakened Immune Systems: Smoking reduces the efficacy of our immune systems, making our body less efficient at fighting off bacterial and viral infections. 
• Infertility: Prolonged smoking is known to impact sperm quality and the ability to fall pregnant. 

There is the damage done through passive smoking. Friends and family living with smokers are placed at 25% to 30% more risk for experiencing dangerous conditions, such as heart disease. Naturally, this poses more of a threat to children, people living with existing respiratory issues, and pregnant women with their unborn children. In Australia, for every 8 smokers who die from a condition related to smoking, a non-smoker will also die from a condition borne from second-hand smoke, culminating across the world in almost 1.2 million deaths per year. 

Again, it is important to consider what the real costs of smoking are to you and the loved ones around you.

How to quit smoking cigarettes

Smoking is rarely about a simple pass-time habit or ‘treat’. Many smokers turn to cigarettes as a means of handling stress, or have slowly grown addicted over years of consumption. 

So, how do you do it?

The key is to find your strength within a powerful motivation. Whether it is for how much money you can save by quitting, for the sake of avoiding negative health effects, or for the wellbeing of those you care about around you, concentrating on quitting will be easier when you are focused on the ‘why’ behind it. 

It is also essential not to try and tackle it alone. Too many of us try to drop the habit ‘cold turkey’ and struggle through in strained silence, only to buckle under the stress of handling it all by themselves. Lean on the support of your family and friends, or turn to someone from a range of experienced and understanding professionals. Together, you can build a routine of positive actions that help you to leave the habit behind for good and enjoy a healthier, richer life.