Smoking Cessation - The Economic Benefits

For every dollar all U.S. states spend on providing tobacco cessation treatments, there is an average potential return on investment of $1.26.

Smoking Costs Millions of Dollars Every Year

Annual Costs:

  • Direct Healthcare Expenditures: $116,397,094,262
  • Workplace Productivity Losses: $67,489,993,472
  • Premature Death: $117,138,774,968
Total Cost to Economy: $301,025,862,703

Put a different way, the average retail price of a pack of cigarettes is $5.51. But the real price of a pack of cigarettes to society and to the state's economy is $18.05 per pack.

This is money that the state government and consumers could be spending in other places. As states look for ways to reduce costs, helping people quit using tobacco is an important solution.

All U.S. States Can Save Money by Providing Smoking Cessation Treatments

Average Potential Annual Savings:

  • Direct Healthcare Expenditures: $275,210,835
  • Workplace Productivity Losses: $436,538,711
Total Average Potential Annual Savings: $711,749,546

Helping smokers quit is an important opportunity to not only save lives, but also save all U.S. states money.

  • Full report for all U.S. States

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Page last updated: April 17, 2024

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