Smoking can make it harder to succeed at work. It might reduce job performance, particularly in jobs that need physical fitness, since smoking can harm your physical health and ability to work effectively.
A new study by the Oxford University Press suggests that smoking can negatively impact younger workers’ earnings, especially those who have less education.
Researchers used data from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, which examined 3,596 people from different areas of Finland who were born between 1962 and 1977. They connected this information with job outcomes and parental background information from national statistics. The study period started in 2001 and included people aged 24 to 39.
They measured smoking using “pack-years,” which means the number of years a person has smoked one pack of cigarettes per day. For example, smoking one pack a day for 10 years equals 10 pack years.
In simpler terms, the researchers found that each extra year of heavy smoking leads to a 1.8% decrease in earnings. If someone cuts back on smoking by five years, they might see a 9% boost in their income.
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Additionally, each extra year of heavy smoking reduces employment duration by 0.5%. The study found that young smokers, especially those with less education, earn less compared to nonsmokers. This effect was not found in older workers. It reflects the serious impact smoking has on the job prospects of the younger generations.
Importantly, this negative effect on job prospects was observed only in current smokers, not in those who had quit.
The paper’s lead author, Jutta Viinikainen, said, “Smoking in early adulthood is closely linked to long-term earnings and employment, with lower-educated individuals experiencing the most severe consequences. These findings highlight the need for policies that address smoking’s hidden economic costs and promote healthier behaviors.”
Journal Reference:
- Jutta Viinikainen, Petri Bockerman et al. Tobacco Smoking in Early Adulthood and Labor Market Performance: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntae296
