Health and Economic Costs of Smoking

The negative health effects of smoking are almost infinite. According to the 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on the Health Consequences of Smoking, smoking cigarettes harms nearly every organ in the human body, causing cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, lung, esophagus, pancreas, kidney, bladder, stomach, cervix, and blood as well as numerous causing respiratory infections, stroke, and coronary heart disease.1

The CDC estimates an average of 13.8 Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) in the state of Missouri from 1997-2001. Simply stated, this means that smokers in Missouri who died during this time frame could have lived an average of 13.8 years longer had they not smoked.2

Even those who choose not to smoke are at a risk for developing health problems. Within the past decade, numerous studies have brought to light the negative effects of secondhand smoke. At least 250 chemicals in secondhand smoke are known carcinogens, including formaldehyde, benzene and arsenic. Poisonous gases present in secondhand smoke include carbon monoxide and ammonia among others.3

While most smokers are aware of the effects that cigarette smoking has on their health, some might not realize the devastation that smoking does to their wallets. While the cost of cigarettes may vary from state to state, packs can be as expensive as $5 per pack; this amounts to $1,638 per year for a pack-a-day smoker!4

This doesn’t include the huge differences in health insurance costs, which are higher for smokers because of the risk involved in insuring them. Smokers are more likely to suffer from cancer, heart disease, respiratory infections, and numerous other health ailments, and as a result, the average smoker may incur up to $19,000 in additional medical expenses over the course of his or her lifetime. Smokers take more sick days, retire earlier, and in some cases earn lower wages than their non-smoking counterparts.5

1.http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2004/00_pdfs/SGR2004_Whatitmeanstoyou.pdf

2.http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/statesystem/index.aspx

3.http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/factsheets/factsheet9.html

4.http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourHealth/HighCostOfSmoking.aspx

5.http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/reports/tobacco.pdf