Cigarette prices have been on a steady climb for a number of years now. Perhaps it is the fact that the health care system is not equipped to deal with smoking related illnesses that are presented by uninsured smokers, or many it is the notion that no matter the cost of a pack of cigarettes, smokers will hand over the money simply because they are addicted. As such, cigarette prices have been a favorite of taxing authorities, adding new and increasingly higher taxes that now make cigarettes – next to gasoline – one of the highest taxed commodities.

Yet if rising cigarette prices have done nothing to deter smoking, they have opened up a whole new market for the smoker and the manufacturers. Advertising best value cigarettes, enterprising entrepreneurs have taken to purchasing duty free cigarettes and then selling them off at a modest profit. The question of how much do cigarettes cost has taken a backseat to the question about wholesale prices cigarettes can now fetch. While national cigarette prices are on the rise, the number of smokers purchasing their fix over the Internet in large quantities has been steadily on the rise a well and as long as cigarette prices are high, the Internet stores are sure to make a brisk business.

Yet if cigarette prices show no end in their upward mobility, the cost of cigarettes is calculated a bit differently by the American Cancer Society. By offering a plug-in screen the Society gives smokers the ability to see how cigarette prices have affected them in much more personal ways. For example, if the price of cigarettes is $3.99 a pack, and the person smokes about 15 cigarettes a day for the last 10 years, then the Camel cigarette prices over these years actually amount to about $10,960. This is a house down payment! If the same smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day more, then the cigarette cost in 10 years actually reaches $18,228.

While it is true that cigarette prices by state vary, the average price of cigarettes does rest around $3.99 a pack for the name brands and less for the generics. While a cigarette at discount prices is cheaper, many smokers complain that the taste and smell really do not make it worth the while. If you track the cost of a pack of cigarettes on a chart, you will find that there is no end to the upward mobility in the pricing and it is anyone’s guess how much cigarettes will finally cost.