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Don’t Succumb to the High Cost of Smoking
Don’t Succumb to the High Cost of Smoking
By James H. O’Keefe, M.D.
Recently, it seems there is more and more pressure on smokers to quit, and with good reason. The state of Kansas is proposing a hefty increase in taxes on a pack of cigarettes, and a recent survey from the Society of Human Resource Managers found that five percent of all employers prefer NOT to hire smokers, and one percent REFUSE to hire smokers.
Add to that the fact that the cost of a pack of cigarettes averages around $4.50 to $5, including taxes, depending on where you live. Using the lower number, a pack-a-day smoker burns through about $31.50 per week, or $1,638 per year. That could be a hefty house payment or a nice vacation with the family. A 40-year-old who quits smoking and puts the savings into a 401(k) earning 9 percent a year would have nearly $250,000 by age 70!
So if you are still smoking, what’s stopping you from quitting? It could impact your health, your livelihood and even your ability to retire. Well, as a cardiologist, I encounter plenty of patients who have had a terrible time quitting, even after experiencing a life-threatening heart attack. My patient Ben is a perfect example.
He is the kind of guy who doesn't complain much. So when he awoke one morning in a cold sweat with a pressure-like burning chest discomfort, he just toughed it out. Unfortunately it wasn't indigestion that he was ignoring, but a large heart attack; and by the time he finally sought medical attention 24 hours later, his heart was badly damaged.
Ben was lucky to survive that event, and now four years later at 49 years of age, he is faithful about taking his medications, eating right, and making time for a daily walk. He also has a state-of-the-art pacemaker called a bi-ventricular ICD that monitors his heart's every beat, and automatically corrects any dangerous rhythms. This life-saving device also simultaneously paces both sides of his heart, re-coordinating the muscular contractions and strengthening the cardiac pump's function.
Things were looking up for Ben except for one dark cloud looming on the horizon—he was still smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. He had tried everything: going cold turkey, nicotine gum and patches, Zyban, and even hypnosis. Still, he could not seem to overcome tobacco's death grip that was threatening to choke the life out of him. Then several months ago I prescribed a drug for Ben called Chantix (varenicline).
It works by blocking the nicotine receptors in the brain. As long as this drug is in the bloodstream, it prevents the cravings and irritability that make the tobacco habit one of the most difficult of all addictions to conquer. About one week after starting Chantix, Ben noticed that the cigarettes ceased to be a source of pleasure; in fact they even stopped tasting good to him. Gradually, he lost interest in smoking, and Ben finally ditched the cigarettes once and for all after about six weeks of Chantix.
Scientific studies show that Chantix is at least twice as effective as any prior smoking cessation therapy. In my experience, about two out of three smokers who give it a fair try are able to successfully quit smoking. The main sides effect are an upset stomach and difficulty sleeping, both of which tend to ease off after the first week. A day's worth of Chantix (two pills) costs about as much as a pack of cigarettes-which from my vantage point seems like a very smart trade off. Chantix should be continued for at least three months, to be sure that the smoker doesn't relapse.
Even with all of our modern weapons against disease, it is very difficult to keep someone healthy if they continue to smoke. Regardless of your age, smoking doubles your chance of dying over the next year compared to a non-smoker of similar age. Even just one to three cigarettes a day increases your risk of heart attack by 30 percent.
Permanently kicking the smoking habit has the power to improve your long-term health and longevity like nothing else you or your doctor can do for you. This is why Chantix is such a revolutionary drug; it will give you, or a smoker you care about, the power to triumph over tobacco forever, so that like Ben, you can look forward to a blue-sky future, and a few extra dollars in your pocket!
Dr. O’Keefe is a cardiologist with Cardiovascular Consultants, located in Lee’s Summit at 20 N.E. Saint Luke’s Blvd., Suite 110, 816-931-1883.
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