Opinion | The Real Cost of Smoking Health, Wealth and Happiness

Smoking does not just burn tobacco it burns your health, drains your wealth and darkens your well being. The true cost is paid in breaths, bills and broken dreams

Each cloud of cigarette smoke can seem insignificant in the momenta routine activity a stress reliever or sign of social standing. But behind this temporary gratification is a cold and lasting reality. Smoking is one of humanity’s most devastating voices. The cost of smoking extends far beyond the price of a cigarette pack. It impacts our health, drains our wealth and deteriorates our overall well being. On this World No Tobacco Day 2025, it is crucial to reflect on the real cost of tobacco and why quitting is not just a personal decision it is a public health necessity.

I. The Health Toll, A Slow Poison.

Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death in the world. More than 8 million individuals die annually as a result of smoking tobacco, including 1.3 million non smokers who are exposed to second hand smoke. That is like eradicating the population of a large city every year.

Directly related diseases from smoking include:

Lung cancer: Over 85% of lung cancer fatalities are caused by smoking.

Heart disease: Smoking constricts blood vessels and predisposes to heart attacks and strokes.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD):

A progressive, painful lung disease leading to breathlessness.

Diabetes:

Smoking raises insulin resistance and makes blood sugar harder to control.

Oral diseases: Smoking leads to gum disease, tooth loss and oral cancers.

The harm does not end with the smoker. Pregnant smokers are at risk of having babies that weigh less than usual, are deformed or even die at birth. Kids exposed to smoke in the household are more likely to develop respiratory infections, asthma, and delayed development.

The body is very tough and starts to repair itself the moment one stops smoking. In 20 minutes, blood pressure returns to normal. In 24 hours, the risk of heart attack starts decreasing. In 1 year, coronary heart disease risk halves. The longer the person smokes the more difficult it becomes to undo the damage completely.

II. The Economic Cost, Smoking Burns a Hole in the Pocket.

Although the health effects are dire, the monetary effects of smoking are just as unsettling. Take a basic math, for example, in India a packet of cigarettes is about ₹300. If one consumes one packet daily, one spends ₹9,000 on cigarettes per month ₹1.08 lakh per year. In 20 years, that’s over ₹20 lakh, without factoring in inflation and premium brands.

But that is not the end of it. Smokers also pay.

Healthcare costs: Smoking illnesses can be extremely costly. Treatment for cancers, surgeries and hospitalization usually amount to lakhs of rupees.

Income loss: Smokers tend to get sick more easily, miss work or die earlier resulting in lost productivity and income.

Fire risk: Cigarette related accidental fires continue to be one of the main causes of domestic fires globally.

Governments also have a tremendous burden to bear. Public health care systems spend astronomical amounts treating tobacco related diseases. The economic costs of tobacco consumption in India have been estimated at more than ₹1.8 lakh crore every year, much higher than the amount earned through tobacco taxation.

In lower income households, where every few hundred rupees count, smoking becomes the priority even over food, education, and healthcare, creating a cycle of poverty and illness.

III. The Well being, Quality of Life Cost.

Even if the smoker does not get seriously ill, smoking erodes well-being in incremental yet noticeable ways.

Smokers tend to complain about:

Poor quality of sleep.

Decreased stamina and physical performance.

Lower mental acuity levels.

More stress and tension.

Smoking does not ease stress as widely believed, but rather satisfies an addiction for a short while. Indeed, research indicates that ex smokers tend to experience improved mood and less anxiety. Their taste and smell become normal, their appearance improves, and they have more control over their lives.

Relationships are also affected by smoking. Family members, particularly children and spouses usually feel neglected, anxious or even repelled by the habit. It can also lead to social isolation, particularly where smoking is frowned upon.

Environmental well being is impacted, as well. The most littered item on the planet is cigarette butts and tobacco cultivation contributes to deforestation, soil erosion and pesticide poisoning. So, smoking not only damages the person it aids in mass environmental degradation.

IV. The Way Forward, Prevention and Empowerment.

The answer to tobacco’s devastation is a three pronged approach: education, policy and support.

1. Awareness and Education:

Schools, colleges and society need to make anti tobacco education more forceful. Individuals and particularly youth, need to be made aware that smoking is not a fashion statement it is an ill health.

2. Stronger Policies:

Governments need to implement strict anti smoking policies, raise taxes, prohibit advertising, and increase smoke free areas. Cigarette packs need to have graphic warnings amplified and made more educational.

3. Support Systems:

It is difficult to quit smoking, but it is not impossible. Nicotine replacement treatments, counseling, quitlines and mobile apps can help with the support. Families should support and rejoice in attempts to quit.

Make the Choice, Save a Life Yours.

The price of smoking cannot be expressed in rupees only. It robs years of life, happiness from love and peace from homes. This World No Tobacco Day 2025, let us select life not addiction, strength not dependence, and health not short term gratification. Regardless of whether you are a smoker, a family member a teacher or policymaker your contribution counts towards a tobacco free world.

The real question is, can we afford not to?

(Writer is a Teacher, An Author and Columnist hails from Boniyar Baramulla and He Can Be Contacted on mukhtar.qur@gmail.com)