Smoking costs Vic economy $3.7bn: report

Smoking is costing the Victorian economy, with about $1.1 billion lost in workforce costs alone, according to Quit Victoria.

Smokers are costing the Victorian economy about $3.7 billion a year, putting a financial strain on businesses, a new report says.

The Quit Victoria report concluded businesses are bearing a $1.1 billion burden based on lost productivity due to smoking breaks ($632 million), absenteeism ($355.1m) and a diminished workforce ($149.2m).

"It makes good economic sense for businesses to support their staff to stop smoking through initiatives such as smoke-free policies, workplace smoke-free programs and health and wellbeing initiatives," Quit Victoria director Sarah White said on Tuesday.