Kicking the habit is difficult and typically requires several attempts. Understanding best practices to help your employees quit can help your staff and your business grow.

1. What Employers Need to Know
Dangers of Smoking:

2. The Facts About Smoking
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 42.1 million adults in the United States
smoke cigarettes.
• Nearly seven in 10 adult cigarette smokers want to
stop smoking. More than four in 10 have tried to
quit in the last year.
• In the US, smoking costs $300 billion per year:
$170 billion on medical bills and $176 billion due to
lost productivity.

3. Smoking is the Leading Cause of
Preventable Death
• Worldwide, tobacco use causes six million
deaths per year.
• Almost 41,000 deaths are caused by
secondhand smoke exposure, according to the
CDC.
• Smokers die an average of 10 years before non-
smokers.

4. Kicking the habit is difficult and typically requires several
attempts. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms include:
• Feeling angry and irritable
• Having difficulty thinking
• Craving tobacco products
• Feeling hungrier than usual
Symptoms of withdrawal, stress and weight gain often
cause smokers to relapse and start smoking again.
Smoking is the Leading Cause of
Preventable Death

5. So How Can Employers Help?

6. 1. Incentives
Offering to cover expenses for nicotine replacement
products or adding cash to flexible spending accounts
can help smokers who want to quit but are worried about
the cost.

7. • Providing access to a smoking cessation counselor
or program offers crucial support and encouragement
to employees attempting to quit smoking.
• Allow for the programs to continue throughout the
year, as it usually takes numerous attempts to quit.
2. Smoking Cessation Programs

8. Smoking Cessation Assistance in
the Workplace Helps Your Business
by…
• Lowering employers’ health plan expenses
• Improving quality of life for employees and families
• Lowering employees’ health insurance premiums
• Improving workplace productivity
• Improving employees’ energy level

9. What programs do Blue Cross Blue
Shield of Michigan offer to help?
Quit the Nic is a free, 12-month, phone-based program. It
gives tips and personalized support to help your employees
succeed, including unlimited calls to a health coach, a
personal plan and online help.

10. STAY CONNECTED