May 3, 2026
Keeping up with the news is taking a toll on a lot of people. Not only does bad news seem to flow nonstop, but the typical person has no control over what's happening, whether it's the war in Iran, the Epstein files, inflation, or reports of a brutal immigration crackdown.
Some Americans have found a way to deal with this deluge of horrible information, though. They've returned to smoking cigarettes.
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"I can't personally slow down technology or fix media or the demands of capitalism or any of the other existential things that have crept into our lives, slowly and insidiously, and worn us down and numbed us in the name of productivity," Xochitl Gonzalez, New York Times bestselling author, writes for The Cut.
"But maybe what I can do," she continued, "is stop what I'm doing, ask somebody to come outside, and take five minutes to slow down with me while I engage in the very dangerous act of holding a flaming stick to my face (1)."
Viral story, or real trend?
Gonzalez's article is a well-written and tragic take on how world events are affecting Americans. She writes that in the early 2000s, the public grasped that they should stop smoking for the health of their future selves. They would one day have careers, kids, full lives, and they didn't want the consequences of smoking to stand in their way.
But now, for so many, the future feels hopeless. So, should people stop depriving themselves of these little joys and pick up smoking again to treat themselves to a few minutes of bliss here and there?
As people began to understand the health risks, the number of Americans who smoke cigarettes has steadily decreased over the decades. While 42.4% of adults smoked cigarettes in 1965, that number had dropped to 19.3% in 2010 and to 11.6% in 2022, according to the American Lung Association (2).
Data shows that smoking cigarettes is more prevalent for certain groups of people, including those with generalized anxiety disorder and severe depression, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports (3).
So, it's no surprise that as people's anxiety and depression is potentially worsened by the economy, politics and the news, they might have the itch to smoke a cigarette — even if they know very well that it's a risk to their health.
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In the age of bad habits, what's one more?
In her piece, Gonzalez muses about two incessant habits she and those around her have taken on these days: workaholic tendencies and compulsive smartphone use. As she tosses around the idea of smoking again — even just casually, as she was never a regular smoker — she writes, "Is it really any worse for us than the numbing digital go-go-go it feels we've all been engaged in?"
It's a valid question. Research shows that excessive smartphone use impacts physical and mental health. The effects range from impaired thinking to low self-esteem to sleep problems (4). Work burnout, similarly, can lead to anxiety, depression, and substance use (5).
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That being said, smoking cigarettes is still far worse for our health than excessively using our phones or working.
There has been public concern that smartphones' radiation and widespread use could lead to cancer. But as of 2024, there was no evidence that cell phones caused cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute (6).
Tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable death in America, according to the CDC (7). Secondhand smoke is also extremely harmful. For adults, it can cause not only lung cancer, but coronary heart disease, strokes, and other severe health problems. It's especially dangerous if you're pregnant and may cause low birth weight.
For kids and babies, secondhand smoke can cause respiratory infections, asthma attacks, and even increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), per the CDC (8).
You may feel like the future is so dismal that there's no need to take care of yourself by staying away from cigarettes. But you could hurt someone else's future, without their consent.
Smoking takes a financial toll on everyone
Just like we all know smoking is bad for our health, it's no secret that buying cigarettes is a hit on our wallets. However, discouraging people from smoking because purchasing a pack a day adds up sounds an awful lot like telling people they'll never retire if they keep buying their daily lattes. It's a tired and over-simplified message.
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So, what are the real financial ramifications of smoking cigarettes?
Public and private health care costs for issues caused by smoking totaled $241.4 billion in 2024. That includes $72.7 billion from federal and state government Medicaid payments, $61.1 billion in federal Medicare expenses, and $21.8 billion in other federal costs, such as care through the Veteran's Affairs, according to a report for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Non-health care expenses related to tobacco use include property lost from smoking-related fires, tobacco-related cleaning, and costs disbursements toward Social Security Survivors Insurance for children who have had at least one parent die from a smoking-related problem.
Americans' taxes pay for this care. It's estimated that smoking-related government spending cost $1,207 per household in 2024 (9).
Yes, you may be hurting your finances by buying cigarettes, but that's your choice. Keep in mind, though, that if you get sick or die due to smoking, you're also hurting your loved ones (and using their tax money!).
Whether you decide to take up running, gardening, or therapy, consider doing your best to find another way of dealing with your existential dread than returning to cigarettes. If not for your own future, then for everyone else's.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
The Cut (1); American Lung Association (2); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (3),(7),(8); National Institutes of Health (4),(5),(6); Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (9)
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Laura Grace Tarpley is a contributing reporter for Moneywise who has been covering personal finance and working in digital media for 10 years. Her expertise spans banking, investing, retirement, loans, mortgages, and taxes.
