Smoking’s Cost on Society Is Falling!
After adjusting for inflation, the total cost of smoking (healthcare, lost productivity from illness, and lost productivity from premature mortality) in the State of California has fallen 13% since 1999. Experts suggest the state’s early adoption of tobacco control strategies has contributed to both the lower number of present day smokers in the state and the reduced intensity of cigarette use among current smokers. Researcher Dr. Wendy Max notes, “The California tobacco control program has been very effective but there remains work to be done, especially in light of the changing landscape of tobacco products.”
Nicotine and Tobacco Research, July 2015