Research

Smokers’ net worth less than non-smokers
A researcher at Ohio State University has found that smokers’ net worth is significantly less than non-smokers’ due to the extra money spent on cigarettes. In Ohio, heavy smokers can have a net worth that is almost $8,300 less than nonsmokers, while light smokers' net worth can be approximately $2,000 less. Click for more information on the study.

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Book available on the price of smoking
What does a pack of cigarettes cost a smoker, the smoker's family, and society? The Price of Smoking consists of a longitudinal study on the private and social costs of smoking, finding that the cost of smoking to a 24-year-old woman smoker is $86,000 over a lifetime; for a 24-year-old male smoker the cost is $183,000. The total social cost of smoking over a lifetime -- including both private costs to the smoker and costs imposed on others (including second-hand smoke and costs of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security) -- comes to $106,000 for a woman and $220,000 for a man. The cost per pack over a lifetime of smoking: almost $40.00. The first study to quantify the cost of smoking in this way, or in such depth, this accessible book not only adds a weapon to the arsenal of antismoking messages but also provides a framework for assessment that can be applied to other health behaviors. The findings on the effects of smoking on Medicare and Medicaid will be surprising and perhaps controversial, for the authors estimate the costs to be much lower than the damage awards being paid to 46 states as a result of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. Click for sample chapters and ordering information.

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Harvard School of Public Health hosts First World Conference on Fire Safer Cigarettes
Harvard’s School of Public Health hosted the First World Conference on Fire Safer Cigarettes on December 9th. The conference included information on the history of “fire safe” cigarette regulation, the health and economic burden of fires caused by cigarettes, litigation and cigarette fires, working with firefighters and health officials, case studies from the U.S. and abroad, and future research needs. Click to view the conference’s agenda and presenters.

Employers increase health insurance premiums for smoking employees
Employers throughout the nation, including Northwest Airlines, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and the state of Georgia, have increased the health insurance premiums of employees who smoke. More and more companies are beginning to cover the additional costs of caring for smokers by having them pay more for health insurance coverage. Federal government studies demonstrate that a smoker costs an employer $5,606 extra per year because of higher medical expenses and absenteeism. However, civil rights experts worry that this practice may expand to include other categories of behavior, such as people who are overweight or engage in risky sports. Click for more information.

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Kentucky:
 
Kentucky ranks highest in tobacco use
According to the 2005 Kentucky Department for Public Health report, “Tobacco Use in Kentucky,” more than 8,000 residents die annually from tobacco-related illnesses. Statewide, nearly one-third of high school students and adults smoke cigarettes. This is the highest rate in the nation. The report suggests that at current smoking rates, 87,902 Kentucky children 18 or younger will die prematurely from smoking. Click for more information.

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