3 min read
The Cost Barrier: Why the Upfront Price of Vaping Keeps Smokers Smoking
A quality vaping starter kit costs $30-50. A pack of cigarettes costs $10. The smoker who lives paycheck to paycheck can afford the cigarettes. They can't afford the vape. The upfront-cost barrier is a structural obstacle to switching.
Over a year, vaping is cheaper than smoking—$500-800 vs. $2,000-3,000. But in the first week, vaping costs more: the device, the e-liquid, the trial-and-error. **The smoker who can't afford rent can't afford the upfront cost of switching. The cost barrier is a structural obstacle that keeps the most disadvantaged smokers smoking—not because they prefer cigarettes, but because they can't afford the alternative that would save them money in the long run.**
