According to the CDC, about 1 in every 5 deaths in the US is attributed to smoking cigarettes, and 14% of adults currently smoke cigarettes daily. The tobacco industry spends nearly $1 million every hour to market tobacco products in the US alone! But despite their efforts, many are aware of the harm associated with tobacco use, especially cigarettes. In fact, from 2015 to 2019, cigarette sales in the US declined by 4 – 5% each year.
One of the alarming trends of 2020 was a reduction in those attempting to quit smoking. Calls to state-run quit lines were less frequent, and a national call center (1-800-QUIT-NOW) reported a 27% reduction in call volume. This was likely a response to rising perceptions of stress and mental health issues due to the pandemic. Also, many adults reported having more time on their hands and less to do, and this was given as a reason for increasing cigarette use in the early months of the pandemic. A reduced will to quit, or higher cigarette usage, may sabotage recovery if a smoker contracts COVID. Early reports yielded confusing conclusions on smoking and COVID, however.
Instead of a coordinated public message, early pandemic studies suggested that tobacco products may have a protective effect against the coronavirus. As with many counterintuitive findings, the media outlets were quick to amplify early reports on smokers and COVID, and their sensational headlines supported cigarette purchases.
This misperception was the result of biases in data collection. Smoking status is poorly documented by medical care professionals, with 3- to 10-fold discrepancies on smoking rates found in some studies when phone calls were used to check smoking status among outpatients. On the other hand, survey data reveals that 46% of smokers admit to lying about their smoking status to their doctors. Also, smokers who develop smoking-related issues, such as respiratory difficulties or a chronic cough, may have been more likely to take COVID tests compared to non-smokers. While nicotine could confer some protective effect against coronavirus, many research experts have since pointed out flaws in the original conclusions, and current studies are now aligned. The consensus is that no, smoking is not protective against COVID infection or hospitalization.
It is well documented that smoking has a negative impact on both respiratory and circulatory systems, and these are the same systems targeted by the coronavirus. Cigarettes impair our first line of defense against viral infection, (epithelial and dendritic cells in the respiratory system) and raise inflammation in ways that leave our lungs more susceptible to infection. From a behavioral standpoint, smokers also have much more hand-to-mouth contact and handle their masks more frequently than non-smokers, which may contribute to greater COVID risk. Luckily more complete data sets have clarified that smoking is a significant COVID-19 risk factor.
By the end of 2020, studies revealed a very different picture of how smoking impacts COVID risks, with smokers showing an increase the risk of COVID-19 by over 8-fold! Results from almost 50 studies now indicate that smoking is a risk factor for developing more severe symptoms of COVID-19, and it raises the likelihood of mechanical ventilation and dying in the hospital.
In any given year, only 3-5% of smokers are able to kick the habit on their own. Breaking the cycle of addiction is a major challenge, especially because one often must ignore environmental triggers that produce cravings for nicotine. This is part of why it is important for employers to consider tobacco cessation programs to stem usage. Studies suggest that the success rate of quitting can be raised up to ten-fold by tobacco cessation programs that offer compassionate support and pharmaceutical treatment. Many employers also offer incentives to encourage their team to work on this habit, which
Not only do these supportive options have the potential to improve employee health, but tobacco cessation programs often benefits their families as well. Of crucial importance, more than 34% of all American children live with more than one smoker in the household. These children have more health problems than of non-smoking parents. Smoker’s children have more emergency department visits, especially due illnesses caused by second-hand smoke exposure. These illnesses include respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis, as well as more ear infections and other conditions. They also get sick more often and have a significantly higher risk of pneumonia. Helping parents kick the habit can therefore lead to a healthier household, because no safe exposure for second-hand smoke exists.
Children are also susceptible to picking up the same habits as their parents, so helping employees quit the habit can benefit future generation. It’s not only children who benefit in the household, however.
In addition to children, partners or spouses of ex-smokers benefit from tobacco cessations programs as well. Like many health-related behaviors, partners in romantic relationship tend to share the same smoking habits. In fact, most smokers who are in relationships are with someone who also smokes. Smoking cessation in married people is much more successful if their spouse also decides to quit. As one study concludes, “when one spouse improves his or her behavior, the other spouse is likely to do so as well.“
As Treo’s Global Wellness Researcher, Karlie uses recent research findings to support healthier daily habits. Karlie earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and Behavior and bachelors in Health and Exercise Science.
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