TOBACCO FREE FLORIDA HIGHLIGHTS
BENEFITS OF SUPPORTING EMPLOYEES
IN QUITTING SMOKING
Tobacco Free Florida is encouraging employers across the state to support
their employees to quit smoking. The program works with employers to raise awareness about
the dangers of smoking, the negative impacts it has for businesses, and the many effective
resources available to help smokers successfully quit.
Over the past couple months, tobacco prevention program manager, Dr. Priscilla Bennett,
assisted Bourbon St. Pub in transitioning to a tobacco free worksite, which became official in
June. Bourbon St. Pub has held meetings to educate on the transition and to share smoking
cessation resources with employees, with plans to extend their tobacco-free policies in the
future. Owner, Joe Schroeder, states, “Bourbon St. is setting a new standard for bars on Duval.
Someone has to be the first to take the plunge”. He hopes that higher-level jurisdictions will
assist in implementing widespread standards and alter social norms around tobacco use.
While it is common knowledge that smoking is bad for the smoker, not many consider the effect
this addiction has on local businesses. In Florida alone, the annual direct costs to the economy
attributable to smoking exceed $19.6 billion, including: workplace productivity losses of $4.4
billion; premature death losses of $7.9 billion; and direct medical expenditures of $7.2 billion.1
Between both the additional healthcare costs and losses in productivity, an employee who
smokes could cost a business more than $6,000 every year.2 For each employee that quits, a
business can save as much as $2,000 per year through reduced insurance cost3
There are several resources available to help employees quit. Tobacco Free Florida offers
FREE quit resources. Floridians can choose as many as they need, or combine the tools and
services that work best for them. Tobacco Free Florida offers free nicotine replacement therapy
(NRT), like the patch or a combination of the patch and nicotine gum, while supplies last and if
medically appropriate. You can learn more about Tobacco Free Florida’s free resources and get
additional tips and tools to help you quit at tobaccofreeflorida.com or by calling 1-877-U-CANNOW
(1-877-822-6669).
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Florida and the United
States.4 On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.5 Smoking can also cost
individuals a lot more than just their health. A pack-a-day smoker in Florida can spend more
than $2,000 in just one year and more than $10,000 in five years on cigarettes.
Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way program makes it easier than ever for tobacco users to
access evidence-based, free tools and services to help them quit tobacco. For more
information, please visit tobaccofreeflorida.com/quityourway.
People can also access Tobacco Free Florida’s online Cost Calculator to find out how much
money they could save by quitting smoking at tobaccofreeflorida.com/calculator.
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