Smoking leads to increased worker costs. Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death and morbidity in Maine. Excess costs stem from employee sickness, disability, lost work days and lower productivity.

There is a solid business case for addressing employee smoking. It is estimated that employers pay over $3,000 higher each year per smoking employee, half in medical costs and about half in indirect expenses [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention].

There are proven policies and programs that support worksite tobacco reduction. These include:

• A smoke-free worksite, including buildings and grounds
• Tobacco treatment services to help employees quit
• Insurance coverage for tobacco counseling and medications

Please contact the Center for Tobacco Independence for more information.