MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. Annual expenses of the Russian healthcare system for smokers amount to more than 1.1 trillion rubles ($17.9 bln) per year, the Healthcare Development Center of the Skolkovo Moscow School of Management says in its research available with TASS.
Such expenditures total $170 bln in the United States, $16.2 bln in Canada, and $482 mln in Israel at the same time. 28.8% more funds are spend for Russian smokers, compared to non-smokers, researchers say.
"Cessation of smoking by each and every consumer might reduce government spending for healthcare by 7.9% per year," Director of the Center Natalia Komarova said.
About 15.1% of deaths are related exactly to smoking, according to the research.
On November 22, 2019, the Russian government approved the anti-tobacco concept. The concept provides for reduction in the number of adult smokers to 21% by 2035.