Prevention Matters

A healthier workforce and a healthier community is smart business, because it makes for a healthier bottom line. That’s why Partnership for Prevention, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and United Health Foundation collaborated to develop a new resource to help businesses lower their costs by reducing the use of tobacco in the workplace.

The “toolkit,” entitled “Investing in A Tobacco-Free Future: How it Benefits Your Bottom Line & Community,” highlights the many gains from implementing tobacco control programs and policies. You can download the toolkit and get more information at www.prevent.org/tobaccofreefuture.

A multi-pronged approach is a win-win that works. Adopting a tobacco-free workplace policy not only improves the health of all workers exposed to secondhand smoke, but also cuts business expenses related to fire and property insurance costs. Providing health benefits that include access to services to help people quit their tobacco use is cost effective to implement and yields healthier employees who spend less on health care. Comprehensive tobacco-use treatment generally includes three components – screening by health professionals, counseling that can be in-person or via phone quitlines and pharmacy support that can include over-the-counter and prescription medication.

It’s also smart business to support proven state and local public policy solutions to drive down smoking rates and increase community well-being and health. Initiatives like smoke-free workplace laws, higher tobacco taxes and well-funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs are all effective strategies to save lives and reduce health care costs – a worthy goal for all.