Smoking cessation programs can be cost-effective even in such hard-to-reach populations as itinerant building trades workers, provided that the program is adapted to their needs and environment.

In one study of members of a carpenters union health and benefit trust fund, the compounded savings in reduced lifetime tobacco-related medical costs for participants who quit was estimated to be 15 times the cost of the program, yielding an annual return on investment of 27.6%. The participants tested a variety of interventions combining 1 or 5-call counseling sessions, nicotine gum, nicotine patch, bupropion, bupropion plus nicotine patch, etc.

1. Ringen K, Anderson N, McAfee T, Zbilkowski SM, Fales D. Smoking cessation in a blue-collar population: Results from an evidenced-based pilot program. American Journal of Industrial Medicine 2002; 42: 367-377 www.freeclear.com/services/tobacco_cessation/health_plan/how_help.aspx?nav_section=1 - 18k