Hong Kong Med J 2006;12(Suppl 2):S32-5
The cost of tobacco-related disease
SM McGhee, J Chau, WL Cheung, LM Ho, SY Ho, M Pow, AJ Hedley
Department of Community Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
1. Tobacco use costs Hong Kong more than $5.3 billion (bn) per year (estimated from 1998 data).
2. Two thirds of the cost ($3.6 bn) was for health care and the remainder ($1.8 bn) was for productivity losses due to ill health or death during working life. The proportion of the morbidity costs which fell on the public sector was 70% for active smoking and 50% for passive smoking.
3. Much of the enormous annual cost from tobacco use is avoidable.
4. Legislation preventing smoking in public places would reduce much of the expenditure on passive and some of that on active smoking effects.
2. Two thirds of the cost ($3.6 bn) was for health care and the remainder ($1.8 bn) was for productivity losses due to ill health or death during working life. The proportion of the morbidity costs which fell on the public sector was 70% for active smoking and 50% for passive smoking.
3. Much of the enormous annual cost from tobacco use is avoidable.
4. Legislation preventing smoking in public places would reduce much of the expenditure on passive and some of that on active smoking effects.