Nicotine addiction is the number one cause of preventable deaths in USA causing 440,000 premature deaths each year. More than 75 billion dollars is spent as direct medical costs attributed to smoking and nicotine. Over the past decade over 12 million have died of smoking related illnesses with 5.5 million being form cardio-vascular disease and 4.1 million form cancer as well as 2.1 million from respiratory diseases.

The money spent on medical costs is irrelevant when compared to the amount of money saved on pensions and healthcare for the healthy but really old people.

 

It's a myth that smokers cost society a lot of money.