Importance to Employers (Healthcare Purchasers)

Tobacco-related deaths, injuries and poor health not only affect the tobacco user but also have direct and indirect costs for employers. Direct costs include payments made out-of-pocket on healthcare benefits, disability, and workers’ compensation. The direct medical costs associated with smoking total approximately $75.5 billion (average 1997-2001).1 Additionally, businesses pay an average of $2,189 in workers’ compensation costs for smokers, compared with $176 for nonsmokers.2 Indirect costs include lost wages, lost workdays, costs related to using replacement workers, overtime premiums, productivity losses related to unscheduled absences, and productivity losses of workers on the job. It is estimated that each employee who smokes costs employers $1,897 in lost productivity each year.1

What Does Tobacco Cost Your Business?

Have you thought about how much tobacco use costs your organization? These factors include, greater healthcare costs, increased absenteeism, work time spent on smoking breaks, higher life insurance premiums, increased risk of occupational injuries, increased cost of disability, and increased disciplinary actions. Use this calculator as a guide to estimating these costs.

We Can Help!

The Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) provide free tobacco cessation services in your county. We are the Group Quit option with Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way program.

AHECs offer two Group Quit programs to tobacco users free of charge: a one-time, 2-hour single session and a one-hour multi-session that meets once a week for one hour. Both programs offer education on the health effects related to tobacco use, but more importantly, they teach the benefits of quitting and what to expect when quitting. Tobacco Cessation/Treatment Specialist guide attendees as they identify their reasons for quitting, barriers and triggers, and learn skills to cope with withdrawal symptoms.

The sessions also cover:

  • Nicotine addiction and medications that help
  • Planning for the quit date
  • Anticipating triggers
  • Overcoming cravings
  • Relapse prevention

Both groups offer free nicotine replacement therapy (while supplies last), educational materials, supplemental materials for quit day, and follow-up support. We address all forms of tobacco.