Smoking Cost Study Funded by Pfizer, Maker of Chantix

State College, PAA recent study showed that states that spent money on smoking cessation programs would get that money back in reduced healthcare costs and other expenditures. However, the study was sponsored by Pfizer, the maker of Chantix, a drug created to help people stop smoking.

The Penn State University study showed that states would get about a 26 percent return on investment if they put money in quit-smoking programs, reports Reuters. But according to Minneapolis City Pages, the study was conducted to make an economic argument for insurance coverage for a smoking cessation program, which would benefit Pfizer's Chantix.

Bob Moffitt of the American Lung Association said he was comfortable with the pharmaceutical giant's association with the study.

"You should know who's paying for research. You should be a good consumer," he told the news source. "But we've been calling for comprehensive coverage for tobacco cessation for a long, long time."

The study claims that in terms of the healthcare costs and the lost productivity caused by smoking, packs of cigarettes should cost $18.05, reports Reuters.

There are a number of side effects associated with Chantix, including an increased risk of suicide or aggression.