UICC GLOBALink Presents...
The Tobacco Reference Guide
by David Moyer, MD.


Chapter 35 Economic issues

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In the United Kingdom, if 40% of smokers stopped their habit by the year 2000, the

extra spending power could create up to 150,000 new jobs. Each year the UK has

about 120,000 deaths from tobacco. There are 12,000 employees in tobacco

manufacturing, which equals 10 deaths per employee per year.

Lancet, May 27, 1995, p. 1360

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Even though smokers die younger than the average American, over the course of their

lives current and former smokers generate an estimated $501 billion in excess health

care costs. Smoking is the largest single drain on the Medicare trust fund, poised to

take $800 billion over the next 20 years. On average, every pack of cigarettes

smoked is directly responsible for more than $3.90 in health care costs and lost

productivity. The tobacco industry argues that the total economic impact on society is

less than would be expected because of the money saved when a smoker dies before

collecting Social Security or a pension. Based on the tobacco industry's logic, all

efforts to combat cancer, heart disease, and other diseases should cease because

letting people die earlier saves money.

From "Saving Lives and Rising Revenue", Coalition on Smoking or Health,

February 1995

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Monday, July 24, 2000 Page 33 of 34

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Copyright (©) 2000 - David Moyer - published on UICC GLOBALink