EDITORIAL: Teens Should Add Up Hefty Costs of Smoking

Jun 26, 08:05 AM

Current Headlines: By The Beaumont Enterprise, Texas

Jun. 26--With the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Rita approaching, many Southeast Texans felt they were starting to put the storm behind them. Yet now they learn about one more problem caused by Rita -- more smoking among teenagers.

A study by the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston revealed that 38 percent of students who had a family member hurt or killed by Rita are now smoking. Among students whose homes were damaged or had friends severely affected, 20 percent were smoking. Only 13 percent of the teens not adversely affected by the hurricane were smoking.

It's a shame to see any teenager smoking, even those who were traumatized by Rita. Smoking, like illegal drug use or excessive drinking, is not a good way to deal with stress. It won't make the root problem go away, and it has its own drawbacks.

If the health argument won't sway these teens -- and it should -- they ought to consider the financial costs of smoking. At $3.50 per pack, a pack-a-day smoker burns though $24.50 in a week, $105 in a month and $1,277 in a year. Teens who smoke should ask themselves: Would I like to have that money for something else?

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