The Ministry of Health estimated business losses due to smoke breaks at 443 billion rubles.

The Ministry of Health estimated business losses due to smoke breaks at 443 billion rubles. This was announced on March 18 by the head of the department Mikhail Murashko at the congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

"Employee smoking costs Russian companies, according to our calculations, 443 billion rubles due to smoke breaks and reduced productivity," Interfax quoted him as saying.

Murashko noted the importance of financing corporate health programs that not only improve the well-being of employees, but also increase their productivity and strengthen company loyalty.

"Health promotion helps to preserve not only valuable personnel, but also teams as a whole, active life expectancy, and at the same time save money," he commented, referring to data from the World Labor Organization, according to which almost 2 million people a year die due to work—related illnesses and injuries.

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On October 24, 2024, the Russian Ministry of Health developed a strategy to reduce tobacco consumption. The ministry noted that tobacco use in any form "creates a socio-economic burden for the health system and society as a whole," as it causes various diseases leading to disability and premature mortality.