Under the 2013 Province Budget, effective at 12 a.m. on April 17, cigarette prices will go up $1 a pack.
To Reasons to Quit Smoking:
1. You won’t have to pay more and more and more and more each year.
Yup, taxes will almost certainly continue to go up. New Jersey, Vermont, and Connecticut are among the states leaning harder on smokers for revenue, but even some tobacco-growing states are beginning to milk the coffin-nail cash cow. Lawmakers’ reasoning: There is evidence that price increases cause smokers to reduce consumption. And the medical costs of smoking are astronomical—a huge burden to the states.
2. You’ll inhale fewer germs.
New research suggests cigarettes are crawling with germs, which can be inhaled along with the smoke. It’s not clear if the germs can make you sick, but the yuck factor is undeniable.
3. You’ll be smarter than Goofy.
“No Smoking” is a superb 1951 Disney cartoon depicting the history oftobacco use and, in modern times, Goofy’s addiction and attempt to quit(there’s a hilarious Mad Men-ish scene of an office full of smokers). Itends with him smoking an exploding cigar as the narrator concludes: “Givethe smoker enough rope and he’ll hang on to his habit.”
4. Once you quit, you’ll find it more amusing that tobacco soup smells like s**t.
Or at least that’s what kids at a Washington state elementary school said when Teens Against Tobacco Use visited their class in 2008 and mixed up a concoction of cigarette ingredients.
5. Smoking can cramp your style in the bedroom.
Smoking can affect circulation; with less blood flow to your genitals, arousal for both men and women can be more difficult.
6. Sever yourself from the sordid history of animal testing in smoking research.
Smoking-related cancer researchers have long used animals as test subjects, producing the famous smoking beagles photos from the 1970s, which are still used by antivivisection sites today.
7. You’ll sleep better.
Smokers are four times as likely to report feeling unrested after a night’s sleep, a Johns Hopkins study found; it seems going through nicotine withdrawal each night can contribute to sleep disturbances.
8. Cool bonuses at work may be in your future.
Employers are increasingly offering incentives—such as gift cards, premium discounts, or cash—to employees who participate in smoking cessation programs.
9. Quitting is a plausible excuse to play computer games.
A 2008 survey commissioned by online game maker RealNetworks suggests that playing games online can help distract people from smoking.
10. Nonsmokers have stronger bones than smokers.
Women smokers have been found to lose 2.3% to 3.3% of bone mineral density for every 10 pack-years of tobacco use. The effects are even worse in postmenopausal women.
