QUITPLAN(R) Services Can Help Make Valentine's Day ...( Stop-smoking services ava...),Health

Stop-smoking services available for all Minnesotans

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Many smokers find it helpful to use a significant day such as a birthday or holiday as a "quit date." Valentine's Day, the holiday celebrating romance, can be the perfect day to quit smoking for that special someone, and Minnesotans have free professional help available to them through QUITPLAN Services from ClearWay Minnesota(SM).

Some romantic benefits of quitting, such as not smelling like smoke, are obvious, but tobacco use has an impact on the wallet as well. Quitting smoking not only improves personal health and hygiene, but also frees up money to spend on Valentine's Day gifts.

According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the average cost of a pack of cigarettes nationally is $4.43. That means someone who smokes a pack a day spends $31.01 per week on tobacco, or just over $1,600 per year. Consider what the cost of a few packs of cigarettes could buy one's Valentine:

-- A box of chocolates ($30) = seven packs of cigarettes

-- A dozen red roses ($60) = 14 packs of cigarettes

-- A 14-karat gold necklace ($150) = 34 packs of cigarettes

In addition, dealing with the side effects of smoking, like smoky clothes, yellow fingernails and stained teeth, can cause additional hits to the pocketbook. A professional manicure can run $50, which could buy a bottle of champagne and strawberries for Valentine's dinner. Professional-grade teeth whitening products retail for $200, which could cover dinner, drinks, dessert and a movie for that special someone. Lastly, dry cleaning a suit one extra time a month costs about $144 a year, which could be used to buy two tickets to a big show.

"With the cost of cigarettes averaging more than $4 a pack, smoking is not only unhealthy, but expensive," said David Willoughby, ClearWay Minnesota Chief Executive Officer. "Fortunately, Minnesotans who want to quit smoking and
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