Source: MSN Money by Hilary Smith

If the risk of acquiring smoking related illnesses, such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, aren’t enough to persuade you to stop smoking, perhaps the financial consequences will. The financial cost of smoking doesn’t merely include the cost of a pack of cigarettes (which has increased to about $10 per pack in New York City), but also extends into added lifestyle maintenance and could even result in a decreased value of real estate.

As far as personal appearance is concerned, smokers tend to have yellow teeth, bad breath and stinky clothes, all of which cost money to fix. Teeth whitening can cost a minimum of $1,000 for a laser treatment and anywhere from $250+ at a dentist’s office. Most dental plans also only cover a maximum of 2 cleanings per year which is not enough to maintain the dental health of a  pack-a-day smoker.

Depending on the brand, gum costs an average of $1.25 per pack; by purchasing one or two packs per week, to try and cover that smoker’s breath, one could spend up to $75-$130 a year just on gum alone.

Smokers are also more likely to have their clothes dry-cleaned at least one extra time per month. Cleaning a suit or a coat one extra time a month at a cost of around $12, means that you could spend an additional $144 per year. If that seems like a small chunk of change, add it to the $130 spent on gum and $250 spent on teeth whitening, that equals $524 in addition to the $3,640 yearly cost of cigarettes (at $10 per pack, 1 pack per day). Do you smoke in your house? Don’t forget to factor in your family’s extra dry cleaning and health costs.

In addition to personal appearance, the financial consequences of smoking extend to your home. Thinking about selling your house? Smokers’ houses will most likely require professional carpet cleaning and new paint and/or wall treatments. According to this article, it would cost more than $2,000 to paint and prime an average-sized living room, dining room and two bedrooms. The article also states that it could cost around $280 to clean 1,000 square feet of carpet. Today’s real estate market is quite competitive; would you buy a house that smelled of stale smoke?

The Department of Genetic Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College is offering a free smoking cessation program for eligible smokers. Click here to see who we are recruiting, or call us at 646-962-2672 to hear more about our research study.