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Smoking Deaths Cost in Productivity
CDC Reports That Early Deaths From
Smoking
Cost $92 Billion in Lost Productivity 1997-2001
ATLANTA Jun
30, 2005 — Early deaths caused by smoking cost the nation about $92
billion a year in lost productivity between 1997 and 2001, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday.
Smoking
reduces life expectancy an average of about 14 years by way of lung
cancer, heart disease other illnesses, according to the CDC.
In the study,
"lost productivity" meant lost wages. The CDC gave no overall
estimate of the smoking-related health-care costs over the same
five-year period, but estimated them at $75.5 billion in 1998 alone.
The report
also found that 438,000 people died each year between 1997 and 2001
because of smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. That compares
with 440,000 a year between 1995 and 1999.
"Cigarette
smoking continues to impose substantial health and financial costs
on individuals and society," CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding said.
"We've made good progress in reducing the number of people who
smoke, but we have much more work to do."
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