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Smoking Tied to Lower Earnings, Labor Market Participation

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 19, 2025.

via HealthDay

FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2025 -- Adverse consequences of tobacco smoking include reduced earnings and labor market participation, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

Jutta Viinikainen, Ph.D., from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, and colleagues used data from 1,953 participants in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study survey, linked to register information on labor market outcomes and education attainment, to examine the association between tobacco smoking and long-term labor market outcomes.

The researchers found that a 1-unit increase in pack-year of smoking was associated with a 1.8 percent decrease in earnings and a 0.5 percent reduction in years employed. Among participants with lower education levels, this association was more pronounced. Younger cohorts displayed the earnings difference, whereas older cohorts among individuals with lower education most strongly showed a negative correlation with employment.

"Smoking in early adulthood is closely linked to long-term earnings and employment, with lower-educated individuals experiencing the most severe consequences," Viinikainen said in a statement. "These findings highlight the need for policies that address smoking's hidden economic costs and promote healthier behaviors."

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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