QUIT SMOKING – IT MAKES GOOD FINANCIAL SENSE

Recent research from Penn State University in the United States indicates that in addition to the health benefits of smoking cessation, for every dollar spent on a packet of cigarettes the cost to society is $3 in premature deaths, lost workplace productivity, increases in the risk of various forms of cancer, heart disease and direct medical expenses.

The researchers concluded that for every dollar spent on anti-smoking campaigns the return was $1.26 – a 26% return on investment.

Representatives of the American Lung Association concluded that smoking results in costs of more than $300 billion a year in the United States. Whilst total Australian figures are considerably less (given our smaller population) on a per capita basis the figures are similar.

This research adds a powerful economic argument that helping smokers to quit actually saves society considerable money.

Worldwide smoking is the number one preventable cause of illness and death, although recent data suggests that obesity is fast overtaking smoking as the major cause of preventable death in Australian and the United States.

90% of all cases of lung cancer, which kills 1.2 million people a year globally, are directly attributable to smoking.

The easiest cure for both (smoking and obesity) – lifestyle modification.