The study examined state per capita health expenditure as a function of current smoking prevalence, average cigarette consumption per smoker and other demographic and economic factors. The analysis is limited to aggregate observational data and cannot provide a causal connection between smoking and healthcare costs, the authors wrote. However, it can at least show a correlation between the two.
The researchers found a 10 percent relative drop in smoking over one year is associated with a $63 billion reduction, in 2012 dollars, in healthcare expenditures the following year. Their findings indicate changes in smoking behavior can almost immediately impact healthcare expenditures.
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