Outside of creepy backstreet corners and in front of bars late night, smoking has been shunned from nearly all public areas. Starting with internal bar areas, smoking has been progressively banned in more environments, from restaurants, to beaches, and even at work (or in front of the job).
Why would a habit that has the potential to kill more people who don't engage in its health-destructing behavior than those who do, be removed from the one place where people have the time (and stress) to promote smoking? In addition to the obvious health risks, smoking has deleterious effects to individual earning and productivity, which creates financial burdens to the business that employs smokers and even the people closest to them.

Smokers have been shown to take more sick days per year than their non-smoking counterparts, even when high-risk, high-stress or other difficult occupations are taken into account. On average, a smoker loses 8 to 11 days of work. Whether directly related to the effects of smoking or otherwise, the bottom line points to a potential loss in income to a smoker, and productivity losses by his or her employer.

As companies have the legal right to restrict employment due to smoking, some companies have implemented strict nonsmoking guidelines to more than just the workplace, but employees themselves in order to capitalize on savings to healthcare benefits. Companies have given ultimatums to employees to quit smoking or quit working. Some companies, like WalMart, are not as demanding, but are providing programs to promote voluntary quitting and healthier lifestyles with the intent to reduce their bottom line.

The results of these stricter workplace smoking policies are telling. The American Lung Association found that workplace productivity is higher in ex-smokers than continuing smokers. The indirect cost of smoking charged to employers has been estimated to be $92 billion annually, while employee losses are 4-8% of their annual income.

Not only company productivity and employee wages are at stake. Some studies also suggest taxation, medical care and potential disabilities related to smoking can cost the families of smokers $41 per pack when aggregated with the smoking family member included.

But much like the indirect effects a smoker's behavior has on a surrounding work, family or social circle, and the benefits of smoke-free policy implementation in the workplace can positively affect everyone---and the bottom line. Various non-smoker advocacy groups suggest business establishments in smoke-free cities have resale values 16% higher than those in cities without smoke-free ordinances. Findings from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicate non-smoking employees save companies at least $3,391 per year, preventing $1,760 in lost productivity and $1,623 in medical expenditures.

Considering the importance of cost-reduction by companies, quitting smoking would not only save an employee's life, but also his or her career.

References

Rachel Zupeck. Smokers drag down workplace, study says.

Associated Press. Sutdy: Cigarettes cost families, society $41 per pack.

American for Nonsmokers' Rights. Business Costs in Smoke-filled Environments.