Can you afford to smoke?
How much would you give for a cigarette? Would you give up your looks, your money, your friends your health or even your life?
That might sound like a high price to pay but even if you smoke for short time it can cause bad breath and coloured teeth and in the longer term it can bring on premature aging and tooth loss.
Smoking just 20 cigarettes a week will cost you over £300 a year. That £300 could buy you around 400 music downloads, a laptop computer, 60 trips to the cinema or eight pairs of jeans.
But smoking makes you look cool right? Well it’s actually increasingly becoming antisocial as it affects the health of non smokers and rather than helping you to make more friends, you may find you lose friends if you smoke.
Smoking will almost certainly also affect your health and can cause some cancers , heart attacks and breathing problems which could lead to premature death.
So, is smoking worth the price now?
Did you know...?
- Up to 15 people a day die in the North East from smoking-related conditions
- 13 people die every hour from smoking related diseases
- Smokers as young as 18 have show signs of heart disease
- 80% of smokers begin smoking before they are 18 years of age
- Tobacco contains over 4000 toxins which are extremely harmful to your health and the health of those around you
- Cigarettes are a drug and they are as addictive as heroin and cocaine
Still think you can afford to smoke?
You won’t be alone if you think smoking is not worth the risks and there are many organisations and tools designed to help you cut down and give up:
To find out more information about the immediate and long-term benefits of stopping smoking visit www.smokefree.nhs.uk/quit-tools/timeline
To find out more information about the cost of smoking visit
www.smokefree.nhs.uk/quit-tools/cost-calculator
To find out more information about second hand smoke visit
www.smokefree.nhs.uk/why-go-smokefree/secondhand-smoke
Stockton and Hartlepool Stop Smoking Service -
http://www.northoftees-stopsmokingservices.nhs.uk/ and (01642) 635 650
NHS Smoke Free website - http://smokefree.nhs.uk/
NHS free stop smoking helpline – 0800 022 4 332