The Benefits of Living Tobacco-Free

Health benefits

___  I want to breathe without coughing or feeling short of breath.

___  I want to lower my risk for serious illness. This includes lung cancer, oral cancer, heart disease, diabetes, cataracts, chronic lung disease, and bone problems. Or lower my risk for a serious lung injury called EVALI that may happen from vaping or using e-cigarettes.

___  I want to have fewer wrinkles, softer skin, and less gum and tooth damage.

___  I want to improve my sense of taste and smell.

___  For pregnant people: I want to reduce my risk for a miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, or a low-birth-weight baby.

Personal benefits

___  I want to be able to walk, go up stairs, and exercise without getting out of breath.

___  I want to feel more in control of my life.

___  I want my hair, clothes, home, and car to smell better.

___  I want to save time by not having to take smoke breaks, buy tobacco products, or hunt for a light.

___  I want to have whiter teeth and fresher breath.

Family benefits

___  I want to reduce my child's infections caused by secondhand smoke.

___  I want to set a healthy example for my child.

___  I want to have the energy needed to play with my children and not become out-of-breath.

___  I want to reduce my family’s cancer risk.

Financial benefits

___  I want to save hundreds of dollars each year that would be spent on tobacco.

___  I want to save money on medical bills.

___  I want to save money on life, health, and car insurance premiums.

How much do you spend?

A tobacco habit is expensive. Do you know how much you spend on tobacco each year? Fill in the blanks below to find out:

A. How much do you pay for 1 pack of cigarettes, 1 cigar, 1 pouch of pipe tobacco, 1 vape cartridge, or 1 can of smokeless tobacco? $________

B. How many packs, cigars, pouches, or cans do you use each day? _______________

C. Multiply answer A with answer B:___________________

D. Multiply answer C with 365: $___________________. This is your yearly cost of using tobacco.

Besides the cost of buying tobacco, there are other costs. These include:

• Costs of cleaning clothing, furniture, and car

• Replacement costs for clothing and furniture

• Medical costs for tobacco-related illnesses

• Missed days of work because of illness

• Higher health, life, and car insurance premiums

Get help

• Smokefree.gov www.smokefree.gov

• 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669). Call this number to be connected to your state's quit line.

• 877-44U-QUIT (877-448-7848). The National Cancer Institute trained counselors are available for support.

• QuitNow www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking