Members,
Smoking stinks. Never mind the health risks. The offensive odor intrudes on the noses of people all around you, from your family and co-workers, to patrons at public places such as restaurants and sporting events.
Aside from the smell of smoke, there's also the issue of cigarette butts carelessly discarded along roadways and other public places. Don't think one little butt matters? Consider that it takes one to five years for a cigarette butt to disintegrate, or biodegrade.
Do improperly discarded butts lead to, among other things? Yes, fires! Thousands of fires are started each year by carelessly discarded cigarette butts. Thousands of innocent victims are killed each year as a result of these fires.
How else does your smoking affect other people? Consider that your smoking habit costs hundreds or thousands of dollars per year. Add this amount up over 20 or 30 years, plus tack on the interest that money could have earned and you have wasted perhaps $100,000 or more!
The financial costs don't stop at the cigarettes alone. You're also probably paying double or more for your health insurance. You're also much more likely to incur doctor visits and medical expenses than are non-smokers. This costs you both for the treatment as well as the lost wages from your time off from work. The value of your car and home may also be reduced, due to the odor and filth of cigarettes.
Finally, don't forget that smoking cheats YOU! All of the foregoing information affects you. When you smoke, you are slowly robbing yourself.
The point of all this? Your smoking habit has far reaching consequences. Quitting smoking can erase these negative consequences and improve your life and the lives of so many other people around you. Start making plans today to quit smoking!
Sylvie, Bilingual Health Educator
