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The surgeon general's report could lead to more antismoking initiatives

Turns out, smoking cigarettes can be even deadlier than previously thought. And, according to a report released by the U.S. surgeon general last week, smokers could be paying for the added risks in more ways than one.

The report, released on the 50th anniversary of the first Surgeon General's report on the hazards of smoking, found that the habit is associated with a higher risk of diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, colorectal cancer and erectile dysfunction, in addition to previously well-known conditions such as lung disease, heart attack and stroke. For employers, which are already taking steps to discourage workers from smoking in an effort to lower health costs and improve productivity, the latest evidence showing that smoking is linked to more diseases may cause them to ramp up their antismoking efforts, experts say. "This will only accelerate the movement that we've already seen," says LuAnn Heinen, a vice president at the National Business Group on Health, a non-profit in Washington, D.C. that helps large employers develop health and wellness programs.

Workers could face wider bans against smoking in the workplace, higher insurance costs and additional screening for substances like nicotine, health consultants say. Already, by 2016 more than 70% of companies are expected to reward or penalize employees based on their smoking habits, up from 42% in 2013, according to a survey by human resources consulting firm Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health. While most employers base such penalties on the honor system - taking employees' word for it on whether they smoke or not - a small percentage of companies are also screening for nicotine when they check for other health risks like high cholesterol or high blood pressure, says Michael Wood, senior consultant in health management at Towers Watson. "I anticipate that going up though," says Wood, not only because of the latest data but also because more companies are using such screenings to financially reward and penalize employees who do or don't meet health goals.

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