“It’s hard enough to quit smoking without having to worry about the financial barriers. As an employer, creating a supportive workplace culture that effectively communicates Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way program can help employees find the support they need to become tobacco-free” said Debbie Walter, Senior Health Educator with the Florida Department of Health in Lake County.

Tobacco Use and the Bottom Line

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Florida and the United States. On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.ii According to the CDC, smoking hurts the US economy, costing more than $300 billion annually in direct medical care and lost productivity, including $5.6 billion a year in productivity losses from exposure to secondhand smoke.iii iv

Recent studies of the private sector in the United States have suggested that employees who smoke cost businesses on average more than $6,000 per year when compared to nonsmoking employees.v The cost to Florida businesses comes primarily in the form of increased healthcare costs and productivity losses.

If you would like more information or assistance on implementing a Tobacco-Free or Smokefree Policy, please contact Debbie Walter, Senior Health Educator at 352-394-3464 or email. ltobacco.program@flhealth.gov. To learn more about Tobacco Free Florida’s free tools and services visit: www.tobaccofreeflorida.com/quityourway

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

About Tobacco Free Florida

The department’s Tobacco Free Florida campaign is a statewide cessation and prevention campaign funded by Florida’s tobacco settlement fund. Since the program began in 2007, more than 254,000 Floridians have successfully quit using one of Tobacco Free Florida’s free tools and services. There are now approximately 451,000 fewer adult smokers in Florida than there was 10 years ago, and the state has saved $17.7 billion in health care costs.vi To learn more about Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way services, visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com or follow the campaign on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TobaccoFreeFlorida or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tobaccofreefla.

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