The Economic Costs of the Health Effects of Smoking, 1984

The impact of cigarette smoking on morbidity and mortality in the United States is well known. Economic consequences of these health effects--expenditures for medical care and the value of productive output lost--have been estimated in many ways. This original prevalence-based analysis of attributable risks indicates a staggering $54 billion cost to the nation. Concern over such misallocation of resources to harmful uses is demonstrably justified.