2020 Employer Tobacco Cessation Program Profile
The CDC ScoreCard is a tool to help employers assess whether their health promotion programs are based on the best evidence for improving employees’ health and wellness.
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What Evidence-Based Practices Does the ScoreCard Assess?
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States with over 50 million US adults currently using any tobacco product.1 Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and affecting the health of smokers in general. Quitting smoking has immediate as well as long-term health benefits.
How Are Employers Doing in Promoting Tobacco Cessation?
69% of employers have a comprehensive workplace tobacco control programs that includes education, policies, and benefits strategies.
372 worksites 78% have a tobacco use ban policy in place covering 366,560 employees.
On average, employers have 63%, or 5 of 8 Tobacco Control ScoreCard strategies in place.
- Cornelius ME, Wang TW, Jamal A, Loretan CG, Neff LJ. Tobacco product use among adults — United States, 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1736–1742. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6946a4
Tobacco Control ScoreCard Strategies |
Strategy a |
% of Worksites b With Strategy in Place (2020 Score) |
|---|---|---|
| Sale of Tobacco Products | Prohibit the sale of tobacco products 90% on worksite premises | 90% |
| Policies | Have and promote a written policy banning tobacco use at the worksite | 78% |
| Health Insurance | Provide health insurance coverage with free or subsidized out-of-pocket costs for FDA approved prescription tobacco cessation medications | 77% |
| Educational Materials | Provide educational materials that address tobacco cessation | 75% |
| Free or Subsidized Counseling | Provide and promote free or subsidized lifestyle coaching, counseling, or self-management programs that equip employees with skills and motivation to quit using tobacco | 73% |
| Health Insurance | Provide health insurance coverage with free or subsidized out-of-pocket costs for FDA approved over-the-counter nicotine replacement products |
65% |
| Educational Programming | Provide and promote interactive educational programming on tobacco cessation |
57% |
| Financial Incentives | Provide financial incentives for being a current nonsmoker and for current smokers who are actively trying to quit tobacco by participating in a free or subsidized, evidence-based cessation program | 33% |
a Evidence-based practices (i.e., programs, policies, environmental supports, and benefits) in the CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard have a weighted score from 1 to 3 points. The score is derived from the strategy’s impact on population health outcomes and the strength of the supporting scientific evidence.
b Percentages are based on 480 ScoreCard submissions in 2020.