It is estimated that around 1 billion people worldwide smoke – and about 16 billion cigarettes are sold every day. Just this information can give you an insight into how much the tobacco industry is worth. But have you ever thought about the other side of the coin – the amount of money people spend on cigarettes and other tobacco products annually? The quick answer is quite a bit.
If you have thought about quitting smoking but never found enough motivation, we’ve got something that can help you. In this article, we’ll share with you our analysis of the direct and indirect costs of smoking – so you will learn how much money exactly you are spending on this bad habit. Read on – and who knows, maybe that will help you quit?
Quit Smoking and Save Money – The Direct and Indirect Costs of Smoking
The Average Direct Price of Cigarettes and Tobacco Products in the UK
The price of a pack of 20 cigarettes fluctuates between £9-12 ($12-$16). The cheapest cigarette brands are available for around £9.5 (13$), while the most expensive ones reach over £14 ($19). The average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes is around £13 ($19).
In case you are an occasional smoker, you might not be interested in buying tobacco products and prefer rolling your own cigarettes. In this case, all you need to buy are some cigarette tubes, filters, and rolling papers. This option is certainly cheaper and can allow you to stop wasting so much money on this bad habit.
The data shows that a tin of tobacco, which is 30 grams of product, costs around £12 ($17), while the price of a pack of rolling papers or cigarette tubes starts at £5 ($7), and cigarette filters cost starts around £2.
The cheapest way to smoke is, however, to vape. While the setting price can be pretty high – between £19.99 and £34.99 – in the future, you will only need to refill e-liquid (from £3.33 per bottle of Nasty Juice; moderate vapers need on average at least 10 bottles per month) and change the coil at least once a month if you smoke occasionally (between £3.99 and £6.99).
All in all, annually, you probably spend around £4000 if you smoke and £700 if you vape. That’s a huge difference! If you switch to vaping, you can certainly spend this money in a more clever way. For example, you can:
- Purchase a high-end designer handbag, which will cost you around £1000.
- Get a family vacation that includes a hotel, airfare, and entertainment, as well as local tours and souvenirs.
- Invest it in the stock market. A smart investment of £4000 that will result in an additional £100 per month over a period of 30 years can bring you even up to £100,000.
The Average Indirect Costs of Smoking and Vaping
The indirect costs of smoking are mostly caused by the use of health care services. They include outpatient and inpatient medical care, as well as medications, counseling, and surgeries. And even if you have NHS insurance that covers a lot of medical procedures, remember that you still pay for it through your taxes.
Outpatient Care
The most common outpatient treatments are related to respiratory diseases. According to data, the NHS spends £2.5 billion on smoking-related diseases annually. Outpatient treatments also include the cost of smoking cessation counseling.
Inpatient Care
The most frequent illnesses that are frequently caused by smoking are lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The data provided by the British Lung Foundation shows that the UK spends £11 billion a year on treating people with lung disease – that includes COPD and asthma, while around £9.9 billion falls directly on the NHS and patients in private costs.
Moreover, every lung cancer patient costs the NHS more than £9,000 annually. And around 48,000 people are diagnosed with this condition every year in the UK.
Medical Products
We shouldn’t forget about products that people buy due to their smoking addiction. They include both the meds prescribed for treating smoking-related conditions as well as the nicotine replacement therapy products such as nicotine patches and gum, inhalers, and sprays. To check how NRT products affect the spending habits among smokers, see this study.
Surgery
Smoking can lead to many diseases that may require costly surgeries, such as lung removal or lung transplantation. Smoking is also said to increase your risk of complications after surgery, prolong your time in the medical facility, and increase healthcare costs during the first year after hospital discharge.
As you can see, smoking is not as cheap as you might think. In fact, it costs a lot – both in terms of money and health. If you stop, you will not only reduce your risk of developing serious health conditions but also save yourself from the financial burden. And if you have trouble quitting smoking once and for all, switching to vaping may be lighter on your wallet.
If you want to quit smoking without being discouraged, we recommend you consult a doctor, a nicotine replacement advisor, or educate yourself more on the topic. Overall, remember that smoking is an addiction, and there’s nothing wrong with looking for help.