<p>I have good friends in their 30s and 40s and 50s, productive citizens who smoke and cannot break the habit. One, 38 years old, was recently hospitalized for almost 2 months including 3 weeks in ICU as a result of the harm that smoking did to her lungs. Smoking is extremely addictive and extremely dangerous to anyone’s health, and anyone who thinks otherwise is lying to him/herself. </p>
<p>If you think you are not addicted, I suggest that you try to stop. You will want to stop later on in life when you have children. Why spend all that money and do all that damage to your health before then?</p>
<p>Smoking has indeed decreased in NYC (where I live). The biggest plunge in smoking rates here came when the tax on cigarettes raised the price of a pack to at least $8, then $10. </p>
<p>Although I don’t think anyone wants to admit it, I know some people who are afraid to quit for fear that they will gain weight. I stopped smoking when I was 40 and I did gain weight. I am not happy about it but I am glad that I will likely live longer, hopefully well into my daughter’s adulthood, because I stopped.</p>