New Yorkers Want HOW MUCH Money to Quit Cigarettes?

It's almost impossible for non-smokers to understand that smoking cigarettes is still a thing. While most of us still remember when there were "smoking", and "non-smoking" sections in restaurants, there has been a steady decline in tobacco smoking in the Unites States. There have been campaigns to keep them out of Hollywood movies, pharmacies like CVS stopped selling them, and the market has been flooded with tobacco smoking alternatives.

That being said, over 30 million Americans still consider themselves regular smokers. While that may be hard to believe if you're a non-smoker, the more incredible number is how much money New York smokers say it would take to get them to consider quitting.

Cigarette Smokers in New York

It's not hard for me to believe that so many New Yorkers are still tenaciously holding on to their habit. When I was living in New York City, I couldn't walk more than a few feet without smelling one. Even now in Newburgh, cigarette butts on the ground are the number one piece of litter I have to make sure my puppy Arthur doesn't eat. The New York Department of Health says that almost three million New Yorkers use tobacco, and that regular use kills roughly 28,000 New York residents per year. So what's the magic number to quit? It's higher than any of our North East neighbors.

How Much to Quit?

A new study polled cigarette users with this simple question: how much money would you have to be paid to quit smoking? New Jersey smokers are only asking for $10,000. Vermont? A hilarious $1,600. New York State, however, leads the northeast with the request of no less than $14,400 to quit.

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To me that's a giant number. Plus think of all the money you're paying yourself by not buying cigarettes. Research shows that pack-a-day smokers could save over $2,500 annually. Conversely, I mentioned this figure to a former smoker, and her reaction was, "that's it?" Maybe she belongs in California, where smokers said they'd require at least $15,700 to kick the habit.

Want to embark on a healthier lifestyle? After to kick the cigs, check out some awesome hikes to take in the Hudson Valley below.