How does tobacco use affect the economy?

The tobacco industry is one of the most profitable businesses in the US, making billions of dollars every year. But the costs of smoking are far higher than the income from cigarette sales.

• Smoking causes more than $193 billion each year in health-related costs, including medical costs and the cost of lost productivity caused by smoking.
• Smoking-related medical costs averaged more than $96 billion each year between 2000 and 2004.
• Productivity losses due to smoking among workers cost the US economy an average of almost $97 billion yearly (for 2000-2004).