According to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) study, smoking costs the global economy more than $1 trillion per year in health care costs and lost productivity. Furthermore, the number of tobacco-related deaths is projected to increase from 6 million to 8 million annually by 2030.
Tobacco usage is the most preventable cause of death globally. Still, the number of smokers worldwide is rising. Employees who smoke not only put their own health at risk but also risk the health of their co-workers through secondhand smoke.
There are numerous benefits to having a smoke-free workplace, including the following:
- A smoke-free workplace reduces the risk of lung cancer for smokers and for those exposed to secondhand smoke (exposure increases the risk of lung cancer by 12-19 percent).
- Being smoke-free reduces the risks of heart disease, stroke, and upper respiratory infections.
- A smoke-free workforce helps your company’s bottom line since employees who smoke cost their employers significantly more in medical expenditures, property insurance and workers’ compensation than nonsmoking employees.
- Health insurance rates for nonsmokers are about one-and-a-half times lower than the rates for smokers.
- Employees who do not smoke take fewer sick days. Smokers miss an average of 6.2 days per year as a result of illness, whereas nonsmokers only miss an average of 3.9 days.
- Nonsmokers tend to have more energy, improved focus, whiter teeth, fresher breath, and increased senses of smell and taste.
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