AEGiS-ATDN: The Cost of Smoking

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

The Cost of Smoking

Information Bulletin #17 - February 2003

Some people say that quitting smoking is harder than quitting heroin. Unless you've been addicted to both cigarettes and heroin, you might not appreciate the comparison, but it's easy to find someone willing to say that they wished they had never started smoking. What most everyone who smokes has realized is that quitting smoking is not easy. There are many really good ways to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke, and ways to replace cigarettes with other things. Smoking is a part of many cultures, almost as common as drinking tea or coffee in some societies. For many Americans, cigarettes and their stylization became part of their perspective on the world and of themselves. Although there are differences in quality and cost of tobacco products, men, and eventually women, could affirm their existence by lighting up a cigarette. Even today, people stop each other on the street to ask for a cigarette or a light.

In the last ten years, however, issues like the long term effects of smoking such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and the burden of smoking related health care costs have made smokers and cigarette makers the target of lawsuits, educational campaigns, and public scorn.

Today, science has clearly demonstrated that second hand smoke, the smoke of a cigarette that someone is smoking in another room, has the potential of damaging the lungs, eyes and growth potential of a child.

Tell your children that smoking is a really nasty habit that causes acne, smells bad, and will impair their ability to have sex when that time comes. If you smoke, tell them you made a big mistake and that you don't want them to make the same mistake. Smoking is especially bad for people who are HIV-positive, and those who are co-infected with HCV. One study shows that people with HCV who smoke have more liver damage than those who don't. Cigarette smoking decreases CD4 cells, and can cause irregular heartbeats. If you are taking protease inhibitors and have elevated blood fat levels, such as cholesterol or triglycerides, smoking presents a greater risk that you will have a stroke or heart attack.

Cigarettes can actually interfere with any medications you are taking. This is yet another reason to quit. It is also one of the reasons why it is so important for people with HIV at any stage to drink lots and lots of clean water. The benefits of drinking at least eight glasses of water a day - especially if one or more of them replaces an alcoholic drink or a junk soda - are great for people who smoke as well as for those who don't.

Because many people who smoke are addicted to the chemicals in tobacco, especially nicotine, researchers have been working hard to figure out ways to help people stop. Smoking is also an area where harm reduction principles come in handy. Every day that you try to stop or cut down on smoking is an accomplishment. You may only smoke one cigarette less a day for several months, but even this is an accomplishment. Dial 411 and ask the operator for a toll-free number for a stop smoking group.

Every time you try to quit smoking increases the chances that youwill succeed the next time, if you don't get there the first time. Tell someone you are trying to stop smoking and you'll probably get a lot of support. There are drugs that your doctor can prescribe to help you quit smoking. There are herbal preparations that might help, and there are lots of support groups for people who are trying to quit. In addition, there are many over the counter gums, patches and now lozenges to help you quit smoking. Be careful of the really strong ones that contain nicotine. They may actually harm you if not used properly. There is such a thing as nicotine overdose, and it's not pleasant. So talk to your doctor and get good advice. There are also toll-free phone numbers you can call, as well as web sites and online support groups.

Smoking burns holes in pillows, carpets and clothes, and can start fires. People burn themselves, and other people, with cigarettes all the time. Imagine how you would feel if you accidentally burnt a child's hand or face. What if your cigarette caused a fire that killed someone you live with?

Another great reason to stop smoking is how much it actually costs. Smoking products, especially in New York City, are heavily taxed. The real reason they cost so much is because taxes on cigarettes pay for the billions of dollars of health care costs caused by smoking.

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