Sure, you know smoking cigarettes leads to an early death. But you also know most of the diseases caused by smoking—like lung cancer and emphysema—don’t really hit people till they’re old. The thought of getting sick or dying from smoking seems too far into the future to be on your priority list right now.

But if the serious health problems caused by smoking aren’t important to you right now, what are some reasons that could make you want to quit smoking? The best way to start thinking about that might be to think first about why you smoke in the first place:

1. I want to fit in with my friends.
2. It’s a sign of being an adult.
3. It helps me lose weight/stay thin.
4. It relaxes me.

Those reasons sure sound good! But how true are they, really? You’d be surprised:

1. Fitting in with friends and peers is important, but 60 percent to 70 percent of young adults don’t smoke, and non-smokers don’t usually like to spend time in smoky rooms and cars with people who smoke. By quitting or never starting to smoke, you can actually increase your circle of friends. Also, true friends who want what’s best for you wouldn’t encourage you to begin an addiction that can make you sick and waste your money.
2. The number of adults who smoke has decreased. Only 25 percent of adults smoke cigarettes and the majority of them are trying to stop. And presenting yourself as an adult has more to do with making responsible choices than with doing things adults do. In other words, you may think smoking makes you appear more grown up, but making responsible decisions about your health and your lifestyle actually does make you more grown up. Of course, one thing is true: smoking really can make you look older, because it causes premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
3. It’s true that smoking may help decrease weight by about 8 pounds, but so will a brisk, 15-minute daily walk. And since smoking causes shortness of breath, you may find that you tire easily and aren’t able to walk or run as fast, as often, or as far. Ironically, since smoking actually encourages this decreased activity, it often leads to weight gain. So smoking may not only make you short of breath, but may also defeat your weight management goals in the long run (or walk -- so to speak). 
4. No matter how relaxed you feel after a cigarette, it won’t give you the overall physical, mental, and anti-aging benefits of exercise. A 15-minute walk not only helps maintain your weight, but it also relieves tension. So think about it, just 15 minutes a day spent walking instead of smoking can maintain your weight, decrease your stress level, and prevent smoking-related and stress-related wrinkles.

That takes care of the reasons for smoking Now, what about those reasons to quit? 

Money, Money, Money

Most young adults never plan to spend a lot of money on cigarettes, but once you’re addicted to nicotine (this can happen even if you only smoke 5 cigarettes per day), stopping is extremely difficult. And nicotine addiction, more often than not, results in long term smoking and lots of money wasted on cigarettes.

So if you smoke, you’re literally setting fire to piles of money! Smoking one $3 pack of cigarettes per day costs $90 a month or $1,095 a year! And since cigarettes are usually one of the first targets for tax hikes, the price of cigarettes could easily increase to $5 a pack in the near future, meaning you’ll spend $150 a month or $1,825 a year! If you don’t think smoking is a waste of money, just take three $1 bills every day and set them on fire. Because that’s exactly what you’re doing every time you buy a pack of cigarettes.

Just think of what you could buy with that money at the mall or fixing up your car?

Smelly, Smelly, Smelly

People who smoke smell bad. The smoker can’t smell the stale smoke that stays on hair, clothing, and skin, but everyone else can. Often times, smokers will use extra perfume or cologne to cover up the smell. But when that mixes with the smoke odor, they smell even worse! Then there is the bad breath. A recent survey of non-smoking young adults reported that 99% said they would not kiss a person who smokes. A kiss or a cigarette? Which would you prefer?

Ways to increase your success at stopping smoking:

Many people will tell smokers to "just stop" or "just put them down" but if stopping smoking were that easy, more people would quit successfully and there would be no market for nicotine gum, patches, or lozenges.

So if you have tried to “just stop” or to “just put them down” keep trying!  Most people attempt smoking cessation numerous times before they stop completely. Congratulations on your previous attempts and keep on trying!