How much is smoking costing you?

Photo Source: thedesigninspiration.com
In the Philippines, 240 Filipinos die every day because of major tobacco-related diseases. That’s 87,600 premature deaths per year. Tobacco kills nearly 6 million people each year, with more than 5 million as a result of direct tobacco use.

Did you know that in the Philippines it is illegal to smoke in public places such as: schools, elevators, hospitals, gas stations and the like?

As of 2014, the smoking prevalence in the Philippines is pegged at 26% of the population. Of the current Filipino smokers, 88% smoked daily, 10% smoke several times a week, while 2% smoked several times a month.

How the PH Government is earning and promoting Better Health:The good news is that the Philippines is among 92 countries in the world that have implemented at least one effective tobacco control measure at the highest level. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that if all countries increased tobacco taxes by 50%, there would be 49 million fewer smokers within the next 3 years.

Our sin tax law was intended to increase the excise tax imposed on tobacco and alcohol products for a double purpose: increase government revenue and discourage smokers with high prices. The Department of Finance reports incremental taxes worth Php42.1 billion (or around $962.7 million), while the Bureau of Internal Revenue collected Php70.4 billion (or $1.6 billion) in excise tax collections – both from tobacco products alone.

How much smoking is costing Filipino smokers:
The average number of cigarette sticks smoked by adult Filipinos is about 10 and the average cost per stick is Php3.00. Let's calculate what 10 cigarettes can buy (Php20-35.00) or a pack (Php40-75.00):
  • Some instant noodles + bread
  • A pack of coffee
  • A few canned goods (sausage, sardines)
  • For some that's a daily public transportation fare already
  • A value meal in the fast food joint of your choice or 2 meals in a day already
Based on the statistics above, let us calculate (10 sticks per day = Php30.00):
  • Daily smokers = Php3.00 x 10 = Php30.00 x 30 Days = Php900.00/month x 12 months = Php10,800.00 per year x 5 years = Php54,000.00
  • Weekly = Php3.00 x 10 = Php30.00 x 4 weeks = Php120.00/month x 12 months = Php1,440.00 per year x 5 years = Php7,200.00
  • Monthly = Php3.00 x 10 = Php30.00 x 12 months = Php360.00 per year x 5 years = Php1,800.00
Now let us calculate (1 pack per day = Php75.00, that's a premium brand):
  • Daily (chain) smokers = Php75.00 x 30 Days = Php2250.00/month x 12 months = Php27,000.00 per year x 5 years = Php135,000.00
  • Weekly (consuming the whole pack in a week) = Php75.00 x 4 weeks = Php300.00/month x 12 months = Php3,600.00 per year x 5 years = Php18,000.00
  • Monthly (consumes the whole pack) = Php75.00 x 12 months = Php900.00 per year x 5 years = Php4,500.00
Ooh by the way, let us add some estimates for the cost of health related problems in relation to smoking. Valuable resources are spent treating tobacco related illnesses. Add to that the burden of death, disease and disability. Illness leads to productivity loss which therefore increases the monetary losses and missed opportunities, not just of your business, employer, but also for yourself

Here's a list of the potential damage, smoking can do to the human body. I leave to you to research the cost of treating for each (which could at least reach hundreds of thousands to more than a million):
  • Blindness (macular degeneration) -- cost = inability or the limitation of generating income
  • Impaired sense of smell and taste -- 
  • Halitosis
  • heart disease -- just an FYI >> it is the #1 killer in the Philippines
  • early menopause, reduced fertility, infertility, impotence
  • asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • A whole bunch of cancers: lips and mouth, gastric, colon, throat, larynx, esophageal, tracheal, lung, bronchus, and cervical
The minimum spend for cancer or critical illness based from my family (including extended) is at least Php90,000.00 and could even go far as Php500,000.00 (that includes hospitalization, medicines & the like) and that figure was based around 2 years ago!

Well either way, the figures above are still a lot of money, which you could have purchased some basic necessities, medicines, travel funds, investments, insurance and health plan payments, gadgets or the like savings already!

#HealthIsWealth  #WorldNoTobaccoDay
How much is smoking costing you? How much is smoking costing you? Reviewed by Vernon Joseph Go on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 Rating: 5

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