A research study published on Monday by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences estimates that in 2015 tobacco consumption generated direct medical costs of CHF3 billion ($3.03 billion). This can be broken up into CHF1.2 billion for the treatment of cancer, CHF1 billion for cardiovascular diseases and CHF0.7 billion for respiratory illnesses.
In addition, the Swiss economy loses around CHF2 billion a year due to illness and premature death among the workforce as a result of tobacco consumption.
In 2015, tobacco consumption in Switzerland caused a total of 9,535 deaths, or 14.1% of all deaths in that year. By way of comparison: in the same year, 253 people died in road accidents and 2,500 died as a result of the flu.
Men accounted for just under two-thirds (64%) of tobacco-related deaths and overall most of the smoking-related deaths (44%) were due to cancer. Other common causes of death among smokers were cardiovascular as well as lung and respiratory diseases, with 35% and 21% of deaths respectively.
Smokers aged 35 to 54 were fourteen times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers within the same age group.
The study was commissioned by the Swiss Association for Smoking Prevention. The Swiss parliament is due to discuss regulations on tobacco advertising in the autumn session.
More
More
Does smoking in public affect Swiss tourism?
This content was published on
Cigarette smoke makes many visitors to Switzerland see red. How concerned is the tourism industry?
Has your continent reached its peak or is there still potential for economic growth?
Some regions of the world are on an upward trajectory with the promise of a steadily improving future. Where do you live? And in which direction is your region or continent developing?
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
US tariffs: Pharma firms not planning job cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
The additional investments in the US will not lead to a reduction in jobs in Switzerland. This is according to pharmaceutical giant Roche, which expects the number of employees to remain stable in the current year. The position of Novartis is similar.
Switzerland is closely monitoring three livestock diseases
This content was published on
The spread of Lumpy skin disease, Bluetongue and African swine fever are keeping Swiss veterinary authorities on the alert.
Swiss writer wins European Prize for Political Culture
This content was published on
On Saturday, the Hans Ringier Foundation awarded the 91-year-old Zurich writer Adolf Muschg the European Prize for Political Culture.
Swiss government working with firms to overcome high US tariffs
This content was published on
The Swiss delegation that travelled to Washington has returned from talks on tariffs in the United States. The negotiations are now being conducted under the aegis of the government and the federal administration, according to Seco.
WTO improves its world trade forecast thanks to Trump’s tariffs
This content was published on
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) expects world trade to grow by 0.9% this year, better than expected in April. US imports surged in the first quarter as a result of Donald Trump's tariff announcements.
Swiss gold exports might not face US tariffs after all
This content was published on
Gold exports to the United States may not be taxed after all. The White House plans to "issue an executive order in the near future to clarify misinformation regarding the taxation of gold bullion," among other things.
This content was published on
Visitors to the cow shows being held in Appenzell in eastern Switzerland will be amazed not only by the ornately decorated bovine headdresses.
First smoking zones set up in Swiss train stations
This content was published on
The clouds of cigarette smoke at Swiss train stations are slowly lifting. On Tuesday four stations were equipped with designated smoking zones.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.