You’ve heard for decades all the reasons smoking is bad for you – it can cause heart attacks, strokes, cancer of the lungs, mouth, throat, and stomach, brittle bones, prematurely aged skin, fertility issues – the list goes on. If none of the health risks are enough to get you to quit, consider this: being a smoker can make you less likely to get a job if you are unemployed or advance in your career if you are.
A 2016 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that smokers not only remain unemployed longer than nonsmokers, but they also earn substantially less when they do find employment. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine attempted to clarify previous findings that indicated an association between smoking and unemployment. Those earlier studies were unable to say whether it was an actual case of causation, or if other factors were at play. For instance, was there a reason why smokers were more likely to lose their jobs in the first place? Or did smoking really have nothing to do with it, and it was just a case of people becoming unemployed and taking up smoking to deal with the stress, then having trouble finding a job for other reasons?
The Stanford Study surveyed 131 unemployed smokers and 120 unemployed nonsmokers over the course of a year, controlling for other possible factors such as age, sex, and education. At the end of that year, only 27 percent of smokers had landed jobs, compared to 56 percent of nonsmokers who had found work. Also, among those who had been hired by the end of the year, smokers earned, on average, five dollars less an hour less than nonsmokers.
What could be the reason for smokers being at a disadvantage when it comes to unemployment? One possible answer is that employers are well aware of all the possible health issues (as listed above) that smokers face. This means more days missed, less productivity, higher insurance costs – all things that any employer would want to avoid. The Stanford researchers pointed out that having an employee who smokes costs private employers in the United States an estimated $5,816 per year more than a nonsmoking employee.
Hygiene and general presentation can play a role in getting hired, as well. If you smell strongly of smoke, that might give the impression that you’re lacking in cleanliness. If you’re going through nicotine withdrawal, you’re likely to be jittery, irritable, and having trouble concentrating.
Also, although this is a broad generalization, smokers are considered more likely to have had prior drug or alcohol problems (with associated employment gaps, lack of education, and jail time), unreliable transportation, and unstable housing situations. It is true that almost one-half of the cigarettes smoked in the U.S. are consumed by people with mental illness and/or substance abuse disorders.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504.
