cost of smoking

quicklinked on over my med body:

DURHAM, N.C. Nov 25, 2004 — Cigarettes may cost smokers more then they believe. A study by a team of health economists finds the combined price paid by their families and society is about $41 per pack of cigarettes.

The figure is based on costs for a 24-year-old smoker over 60 years for cigarettes, taxes, insurance, medical care and lost earnings because of smoking-related disabilities, researchers said.
[...]
Smokers pay about $33 of the cost, their families absorb about $7 and others pay a little less than $1.50, according to health economists from Duke University and a professor from the University of South Florida. The study drew on data including Social Security earnings histories dating to 1951.
[...]
Despite the finding that smoking is a costly habit for individuals, society carries less of a burden than generally believed, the study's authors determined.

"The reason the number is low is that for private pensions, Social Security, and Medicare the biggest factors in calculating costs to society smoking actually saves money," Sloan said. "Smokers die at a younger age and don't draw on the funds they've paid into those systems."

as a non-smoking member of society, i say smoke on comrades. smoke on.