Costs of Tobacco Use
jump to costs of smoking to society
jump to individual risk factors for developing a smoking related illness
jump to costs of smoking to you as an individual
Individual health risks of smoking:
at least 20% of all heart disease deaths are smoking related.
heart attacks
coronary heart disease
aortic aneurysm
peripheral vascular disease
sudden cardiac death
tobacco causes 30% of all cancer deaths
lung cancer / lung cancer pic 1 / lung cancer pic 2
head and neck cancer
cancer of the esophagus
stomach cancer
cancer of the pancreas
cervical cancer (uterus)
kidney and bladder cancers
Respiratory diseases:
emphysema
chronic bronchitis
asthma
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD
Tobacco greatly impacts lung function in smokers and their children and
spouses, causing premature aging of the lungs.
risk in smokers is 1.5 to 3 times higher than that of
nonsmokers
Moms who smoke have babies with an increased risk of fetal death,
hypoxia, neonatal death, sids, and lower birth weight
Infections and Immune System
Smokers have more infections due to tobacco induced decrease
in immune system function
Other health risks of smoking
Osteoporosis
Peptic ulcer
disease
Impotence
and infertility in males
Female infertility and earlier
menopause
Premature aging of the skin,
wrinkles
, cataracts
Substance abuse and
dependence
are more prevalent in smokers
Poor dentition, decrease in taste and smell
Fires: 25% of residential fire deaths
Cost of cigarettes (diverts funds from heathier things)
Job discrimination
Social discrimination
Increased vulnerability to
major depression
Passive smoking effects
lung cancer, asthma,
rhabdomyosarcomas, brain tumors, and heart disease are more frequent in people who live with
smokers or who work in a non smoke free nevironment
Individual risk factors
Not all people who smoke develop complications from their smoking.
The following factors influence the likelihood of developing a smoking related
health problem:
Duration, intensity and type of smoke exposure
The earlier you started smoking and the more you have smoked increases the chance of health problems related to smoking.
Genetic susceptibility
If you have had a family member who had a smoking related illness you are very significantly more at risk
Occupational and environmental exposures
If you live in an urban area or work with carcinogens, chemicals, dusts, etc ...your risk is greater.
Impact of other diseases, and medications
If you have a lung disease for example smoking is more likely to further damage your lungs. Smoking may interfere with blood pressure meds as another example.
US Health Care Costs
60% of the direct
health care
costs in the US go to treat tobacco related illnesses
20 % or 1 in 5 of all deaths in the US are attributable to smoking.
Smokers have a 70% higher death rate than nonsmokers
Tobacco kills more Americans each year than alcohol, cocaine, crack,
heroin, homicide, suicide, car accidents, fires and aids
combined.
Tobacco kills more people each year than losses from WW I, Korea and
Vietnam combined, approximately equal to WW II losses
Deaths from smoking 1990:
- cardiovascular diseases...179,820
- lung cancer...............119,920
- other cancers.............31,402
- respiratory diseases......84,475
- total.....................415,597
The medical costs for the treatment of smoking related diseases strains hospitals
and private and publically funded insurance providers.
Smokers miss more days of work than
non-smokers which results in costs to society from work absenteeism ...
Other costs are related to decreased work productivity due to chronic smoke related
illnesses and impairments, and eorkers taking time away from work for smoke
breaks...
Society assumes costs for the care of burn victims...25% of residential fires are
caused by smokers...
Direct property damage costs from fires caused by smokers are also a big cost
to society
Society assumes the cost of smoking cessation campaigns and prevention
strategies
US government tobacco crop subsidies represent little known ways your tax dollar
assists the tobacco industry
Tax deductions and shelters used by the tobacco industry for advertising
and promotions lead to decreased IRS revenue to cover the costs of smoking to society.
The Underestimation of the Economic Cost of Smoking: A Report for the Centers for Disease Control
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last modified April 18, 2006
please send comments to Robert Shubinski MD
