Smoking costs Ireland €20bn as new study warns of years of lost life and productivity

The research found smokers will lose nearly five million years of life and 2.5 million years of productivity.

Current smokers in Ireland cost healthcare services around €20.2 billion, according to a recent study.

Researchers at the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences found that smokers will lose nearly five million years of life and 2.5 million years of productivity.

The study analysed the long-term health and societal impacts of tobacco smoking in Ireland and was funded by the HSE Tobacco Free Ireland programme. It used 2022 data, tracking smokers aged 15 to 85.

It also estimated that current smokers will spend a total of 5.9 million years living with smoking-related chronic diseases such as lung cancer, stroke, heart disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

At an individual level, the study showed that a 20-year-old man who smokes daily is expected to lose eight years of life, more than eight years of productivity and incur an extra €28,000 in healthcare costs over his lifetime compared to a non-smoker.

Associate Professor at RCSI's Department of Health Psychology, Frank Doyle, said: "Ireland is one of the first countries to commit to a national target of reducing smoking to 5% by 2025. 

"There is an urgent need to reinvigorate the national tobacco policy discourse and re-focus policymakers on achieving this goal, as this research shows the costs of inaction both in lives lost and the billions of euros it will cost our health system and economy," Mr Doyle added. 

Public Health Advisor to the HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, Dr Paul Kavanagh, said that "despite progress, smoking remains the greatest challenge facing population health in Ireland." 

"This research shows its impact goes beyond health, with 2.5 million years of lost productivity meaning fewer people in work, reduced earnings and a smaller contribution to the economy. 

"With reductions in smoking stalling, there is a need to strengthen proven measures like increasing tobacco taxation, accessible stop smoking support and a new Tobacco Free Ireland plan to end the health, economic and wider social harms of smoking," Dr Kavanagh added.