Smoking Linked With Longer Unemployment and Lower Wages

A new study suggests smokers remain unemployed longer than nonsmokers. Researchers at Stanford University found when smokers do find jobs, they earn much less than nonsmokers, according to CBS News.

“There’s been good knowledge of the harms of smoking in terms of health, but it’s also important to appreciate the fiscal harms of tobacco use,” said lead study author Judith Prochaska, PhD, MPH.

Earlier research found a link between smoking and unemployment, but until now it was unclear whether smoking caused unemployment or was the result of being out of a job. “The health harms of smoking have been established for decades, and our study here provides insight into the financial harms of smoking, both in terms of lower re-employment success and lower wages,” Prochaska said in a news release.

The new study included 131 unemployed smokers and 120 unemployed nonsmokers. After one year, 27 percent of smokers had found jobs, compared with 56 percent of nonsmokers. Among those who had found a job, smokers earned an average of $5 less per hour.

The findings are published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The researchers asked smokers to rate how they prioritize their discretionary spending, after taking care of basic needs such as rent and food. “We found that tobacco was the most highly prioritized item, ahead of things like transportation costs or grooming needs or new clothing,” Prochaska said. She noted smokers going on a job interview may be distracted by withdrawal symptoms if they feel they need to smoke.

Before the study began, the researchers interviewed hiring managers, and found they said if a prospective employee smells of smoke, it puts them at a disadvantage.

The researchers plan to conduct a follow-up study to find out whether an intervention designed to help job seekers quit smoking will impact their ability to get hired.