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$3.19 billion in smoking-related health care expenditures is a staggering <br />figure on its own. Yet it's only part of the story. The 2017 Health Care Costs <br />and Smoking in Minnesota report also reveals significant costs related to <br />lost productivity. <br />Each year, smoking costs Minnesota $4.3 billion in <br />lost productivity. Lost productivity costs include the loss <br />of regular earnings and the "replacement value" for unpaid <br />work typically performed within the home. This figure <br />factors in the years of life lost due to premature death, and <br />is based on the 6,306 smoking -attributable adult deaths <br />recorded in 2014. <br />These 6,306 deaths represent people who are no longer <br />able to work, earn money for their families, or contribute to <br />their communities because of cigarette smoking. Tying a <br />cost to these deaths shows the tangible economic impact <br />of smoking in Minnesota. <br />THE FINANCIAL IMPACT <br />ON EMPLOYERS <br />While premature deaths place an enormous burden on <br />families and society, a 2012 study (not commissioned <br />by Blue Cross) also demonstrated a significant financial <br />impact on employers. The study estimated that on average, <br />businesses spend an additional $5,816 annually per <br />employee who smokes. These costs included excess <br />absenteeism, lower productivity related to nicotine <br />addiction, excess health care costs and lost productivity <br />due to smoking breaks.' <br />4.3 billionCOULD ALSO PAY FOR: <br />The ANNUAL UTILITY BILL <br />for 282,152 MEDIUM BUSINESSES <br />($1,270/MONTH OR $15,240/YEAR FOR A <br />MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESS)z <br />OFFICE SUPPLIES for <br />4.3 MILLION SMALL BUSINESSES <br />with five employees <br />($200 PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR )3 <br />IT SPENDING for 434,343 EMPLOYEES <br />($9,900 AVERAGE IT SPENDING <br />PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR )4 <br />PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT <br />for 5.28 MILLI 0 N EMPLOYEES <br />($814 PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR)5 <br />