A study shows that smoking costs Hong Kong over five billions HK dollars each year, announced the Hong Kong University (HKU) Thursday.

The study focuses on mortality and morbidity costs due to active smoking and passive smoking, including increased health care use and productivity losses from time off work and premature deaths.

According to the study, the overall estimate of the costs of direct health care for disease caused by active and passive smoking was: 2.6 billion HKD for acute and chronic health care; 0.9 billion HKD for long term care; and, 1.8 billion HKD for the productivity losses each year.

Of the health care costs, 82 percent fell on the public sector. Passive smoking accounted for 28 percent of the total costs, and 26 percent of the productivity losses.

The study concluded that the total cost of active and passive smoking in Hong Kong was 5.3 billion HK dollars (at 1998 prices). This has taken into account costs for health care, residential care and lost working time for both active and passive smoking.

A wide range of information from special local studies, including mostly previous University of Hong Kong's studies, and routine government statistics were used by the research team.

Professor Tai-hing Lam, Head and Chair Professor of Department of Community Medicine of HKU called for the findings of the study to be examined carefully by all government departments, legislators and health care providers.

He said the information provides strong support for policy decision-making to prevent both acute and chronic diseases and health care costs at all ages. He reinforced the need for urgent investment in professional smoking cessation services and smoke-free policies as rapid steps towards the reduction in health care costs in Hong Kong.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2005)