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Electronic cigarette risk beliefs and usage after the vaping illness outbreak

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  • W. Kip Viscusi

    (Vanderbilt Law School)

Abstract

New national survey evidence on electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) risk beliefs indicates that people substantially overestimate the health risks posed by e-cigarettes, both in absolute terms and relative to conventional cigarette risk beliefs. Perceptions of the lung cancer risks and total mortality risks of conventional cigarettes function as prior risk beliefs for e-cigarettes. People believe e-cigarettes are at least 60% as risky as conventional cigarettes. Whether respondents have seen reports of vaping-related illnesses has no significant effect on risk beliefs, but there has been a modest increase in the percentage who believe that e-cigarettes are riskier than cigarettes. Accurate e-cigarette beliefs would significantly increase whether people try, currently use, or exclusively use e-cigarettes. Whereas price and taste are the principal drivers of brand choice for conventional cigarettes, use of e-cigarettes is more closely linked to smoking cessation and concern with environmental tobacco smoke.

Suggested Citation

  • W. Kip Viscusi, 2020. "Electronic cigarette risk beliefs and usage after the vaping illness outbreak," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 259-279, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jrisku:v:60:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s11166-020-09328-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11166-020-09328-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dhaval Dave & Daniel Dench & Donald Kenkel & Alan Mathios & Hua Wang, 2020. "News that takes your breath away: risk perceptions during an outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 281-307, June.
    2. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Viscusi, W Kip & O'Connor, Charles J, 1984. "Adaptive Responses to Chemical Labeling: Are Workers Bayesian Decision Makers?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 74(5), pages 942-956, December.
    4. Viscusi, W. Kip, 1998. "Rational Risk Policy: The 1996 Arne Ryde Memorial Lectures," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198293637, Decembrie.
    5. Daniel Ellsberg, 1961. "Risk, Ambiguity, and the Savage Axioms," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 75(4), pages 643-669.
    6. W. Kip Viscusi, 2016. "Risk Beliefs and Preferences for E-cigarettes," American Journal of Health Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 2(2), pages 213-240, Spring.
    7. W. Kip Viscusi & Scott DeAngelis, 2018. "Decision irrationalities involving deadly risks," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 225-252, December.
    8. Viscusi, W Kip, 1991. "Age Variations in Risk Perceptions and Smoking Decisions," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 73(4), pages 577-588, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jeff DeSimone & Daniel Grossman & Nicolas Ziebarth, 2023. "Regression Discontinuity Evidence on the Effectiveness of the Minimum Legal E-cigarette Purchasing Age," American Journal of Health Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 9(3), pages 461-485.
    2. Dhaval Dave & Daniel Dench & Donald Kenkel & Alan Mathios & Hua Wang, 2020. "News that takes your breath away: risk perceptions during an outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 281-307, June.
    3. Michael F. Pesko, 2023. "Effects of e-cigarette minimum legal sales ages on youth tobacco use in the United States," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 66(3), pages 261-277, June.
    4. Michael F. Pesko & Charles J. Courtemanche & Johanna Catherine Maclean, 2020. "The effects of traditional cigarette and e-cigarette tax rates on adult tobacco product use," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 229-258, June.

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