Tobacco Prevention
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. For smokers the associated diseases and health care costs are significant, they see physicians more often and have longer hospital stays than nonsmokers. In addition to direct health effects to tobacco users, other employees are negatively impacted by secondhand smoke.
The real costs of smoking are staggering:
- Cigarette smoking kills more than 480,000 Americans each year.
- Tobacco related disease in the U.S. costs more than $300 billion a year, including over $175 billion in direct medical care for adults and $156 billion in lost productivity.
- Smokers cost employers nearly $6,000 annual, therefore smokers cost the Springfield Community employers $222,331,400 each year.
Helping smokers quit not only saves lives, it also saves money; lower healthcare cost, increased workplace productivity and prevented premature deaths.
Sample Tobacco Policies
Develop Tobacco-Free Campus policy to improve the health of all employees.
Provide insurance discounts or incentives for quitting.
Implement a no-smokers hiring policy.
Sample Tobacco Cessation Programs
Provide smoking cessation opportunities. Some include:
Environmental Improvements to Reduce Tobacco Use
Install adequate signage and remove ashtrays, receptacles, etc. to support smoke-free workplaces.