To***co still remains the number one preventable cause of diseases and death in Kansas. The annual health care costs in Kansas directly caused by smoking is $854 million. As taxpayers, we pay approximately $547 in state and federal taxes per household that are related to smoking-caused government expenditures that are passed on to us. Amounts do not include health costs caused by exposure to secon
dhand smoke, smoking-caused fires, spit to***co use, or cigar and pipe smoking. Other non-health costs from to***co use include residential and commercial property losses from smoking-caused fires (more than $500 million per year nationwide); extra cleaning and maintenance costs made necessary by to***co smoke and litter (about $4+ billion nationwide for commercial establishments alone); and additional productivity losses from smoking-caused work absences, smoking breaks, and on-the-job performances declines and early termination of employment caused by smoking-related disability or illness. More than 79 percent of our residents in Wichita are nonsmokers. We believe a majority of residents and business owners want smoke-free environments. Many of our homes and our workplaces are smoke-free. Help us support smoke-free laws and policies as a well as comprehensive approach to reducing to***co use and exposure to secondhand smoke in our community by promoting 100 percent smoke-free workplaces. It's not enough to know that secondhand smoke harms your health because "If it's in the air, it's in your lungs". We need your help to let decision makers know how important clean indoor air is to our future.
