Burning Cash: Study Reveals Price of Smoking in Illinois

Everyone knows smokers are burning their cash—but how much does it cost to light up in Illinois?

According to a new WalletHub study, smokers in the Land of Lincoln spend about $1.8 million in their lifetime—of about 50 years. The study says it costs about $34,000 a year to smoke in Illinois.

Don’t fret though. Some smokers feel it in their wallets even more—like in New York at a whopping $2.4 million.

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The study say Americans collectively spend more than $300 billion on smoking related issues.

“We calculated the potential monetary losses — including both the lifetime and annual cost of a cigarette pack per day, health care expenditures, income losses and other costs — brought on by smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke,” WalletHub says of the survey on its website.

Feeling stressed? Don’t reach for a smoke just yet.

Experts cited in the survey, like Steven A. Branstetter, an associated professor of biobehavioral health at Pennsylvania State University, say increasing taxes is one of the best ways to deter smokers.

Illinois happens to have some of the highest cigarette taxes in the country.

Kick the habit and you’ve kicked an extra tax, too.

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