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Potential Costs and Benefits of Statewide Smoking Cessation in Pennsylvania

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Jill S. Rumberger  and
Christopher S. Hollenbeak
Jill S. Rumberger
Affiliation:
Pennsylvania State University, Penn State Harrisburg, School of Public Affairs, United States of America.
Christopher S. Hollenbeak*
Affiliation:
Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Departments of Surgery and Public Health Sciences, United States of America. chollenbeak@psu.edu
*
*Address for correspondence: Christopher S. Hollenbeak, Ph.D., Departments of Surgery and Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, 600 Centerview Drive, A210, Hershey, PA 17033 USA.
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Abstract

Objectives: To determine whether the cost of a statewide smoking cessation program in Pennsylvania could be justified by the benefits. Methods: A cost-benefit analysis of statewide access to smoking cessation programs. We compared three treatment alternatives, with and without counselling: nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion and varenicline. Results: While the retail price of a pack of cigarettes in Pennsylvania is on average US$4.72, the combined medical costs and productivity losses in Pennsylvania attributable to each pack of cigarettes sold are approximately US$23.78 per pack of cigarettes. The ratio of benefits to cost varied from US$0.97 to US$2.76 saved per dollar spent on smoking cessation programs, depending upon the type of intervention. Conclusions: For most smoking cessation treatments, the benefits of a statewide smoking cessation program in Pennsylvania would greatly outweigh its costs.

Keywords

cost-benefit analysissmoking cessationeconomic evaluation
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Smoking Cessation , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , 01 December 2010 , pp. 136 - 144
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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