It turns out that--in addition to their environmental benefit--electric cars can help improve the health of the people who drive them.

A few weeks ago, we posted an anecdote collected by advocacy group Plug-In America, about how driving an electric car helped a handful of people quit smoking.

CHECK OUT: How To Quit Smoking: Buy An Electric Car?

A Nissan Leaf salesman explained that his customers had kicked the habit because they no longer had to stop at gas stations--where they typically bought their cigarettes.

2014 Chevrolet Volt

2014 Chevrolet Volt

The story has apparently touched off a lively conversation, according to Plug-In America, with some appreciating a potential added benefit of driving a plug-in car, and others noting that smokers can find cigarettes somewhere else.

In response, Plug-In America cited an article in its most recent newsletter, which notes that removing oneself from a source of temptation is a key factor in quitting smoking.

DON'T MISS: In Just One Year, Electric Cars Have Gotten Cleaner: How'd They Do That?

Several Chevrolet Volt owners have also posted similar stories on the GM-Volt forum, claiming they stopped buying cigarettes after purchasing their extended-range electric cars.

User JamesMcQuaid posted that he quite cold turkey three years ago, and rewarded himself with a Volt. He hasn't had a cigarette since.

2015 Nissan Leaf

2015 Nissan Leaf

While gas stations aren't the only source of unhealthy temptations, they do bombard customers with them.

Besides the cigarettes, there are salty snack foods, sugary soft drinks, and lottery tickets. Not your average health-food store, then.

ALSO SEE: Raw Diesel Fumes Worse Than Second-Hand Smoke, Says W.H.O.

Gas stations largely break even on the actual fuel they sell, so they make most of their profit off of items like these.

Considering that, it's easy to understand why many drivers cite avoiding gas stations as one of the perks of electric-car ownership.

After all, charging an electric car at home or at work doesn't come with an attached invitation to buy cigarettes or unhealthy food.

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