University of California study says vaping carries higher health costs than cigarettes
According to a study by researchers at the UCSF School of Nursing, vaping users add $15 billion to annual U.S. healthcare spending, or more than $2,000 per person per year. According to the press release, the study was published on May 23 in the journal T
According to a study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, the use of e-cigarettes costs the U.S. healthcare system $15 billion annually—over $2,000 per person each year.<\/div>
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According to a press release, the study published on May 23 in the journal Tobacco Control is the first to examine the healthcare costs associated with e-cigarette use among adults aged 18 and older.<\/div>
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"Our findings indicate that e-cigarette users incur $2,024 more in healthcare costs annually than those who do not use any tobacco products," said Yingning Wang, the lead author from the UCSF Institute for Health & Aging.<\/div>
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According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking-related illnesses cost the U.S. over $300 billion each year, with more than $225 billion spent on direct healthcare for adults.<\/div>
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Researchers estimated healthcare costs and utilization based on data from the National Health Interview Survey from 2015 to 2018. Healthcare utilization includes overnight hospital stays, emergency room visits, doctor visits, and home visits.<\/div>
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"The healthcare costs associated with e-cigarette use have already surpassed our estimates for the healthcare costs associated with cigar and smokeless tobacco use," Yingning Wang said. "This is a concerning finding, as e-cigarettes are a relatively new product, and their impact may increase over time."<\/span>
"This does not exclude the possibility that e-cigarette users are more health-conscious." <\/span><\/div>
"This does not exclude the possibility that e-cigarette users are more health-conscious." <\/span><\/div>
