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Cigarette prices and illicit drug use: is there a connection?

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  • Rajeev Goel

Abstract

Using cross-sectional data from the United States, this study examines the effects of cigarette prices on the use of marijuana and illicit drugs (including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, inhalants, hallucinogens or any prescription drugs for nonmedical use). Five primary contributions of this work are: First, it provides evidence on the cross-relation between cigarettes and marijuana and illicit drugs. Second, besides the 'standard' control variables used in demand studies (namely, price, education and income), we also control for the influence of employment status and health insurance coverage. Third, this research provides new evidence on the price elasticity of cigarette demand for a recent time period. Fourth, the data used in this study are the latest available. Five, based on our results, implications for drug use policy are provided. Several key points may be noted from our results: (i) Cigarette demand seems to have become elastic in recent years. This is in contrast to findings in earlier years; (ii) Consumers seem to view cigarettes and marijuana as substitutes and cigarettes and illicit drugs as substitutes. (iii) Greater consumer income increases illegal drug use, but does not seem to have a significant impact on smoking and marijuana use; (iv) The unemployment rate and health insurance converge do not seem to significantly affect smoking or drug use; and (v) Policymakers should pay attention to the cross effects among drugs in framing drug use policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Rajeev Goel, 2009. "Cigarette prices and illicit drug use: is there a connection?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(9), pages 1071-1076.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:41:y:2009:i:9:p:1071-1076
    DOI: 10.1080/00036840601019141
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Xueyan Zhao & Mark N. Harris, 2004. "Demand for Marijuana, Alcohol and Tobacco: Participation, Levels of Consumption and Cross‐equation Correlations," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 80(251), pages 394-410, December.
    2. Rajeev Goel & Rati Ram, 2004. "Quantile-regression estimates of cigarette demand elasticities for the United States," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 28(3), pages 413-421, September.
    3. Robert L. Ohsfeldt & Raymond G. Boyle & Eli Capilouto, 1997. "Letter: Effects of tobacco excise taxes on the use of smokeless tobacco products in the USA," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 6(5), pages 525-531, September.
    4. Rajeev Goel & Michael Nelson, 2005. "Tobacco policy and tobacco use: differences across tobacco types, gender and age," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(7), pages 765-771.
    5. Craig A. Gallet & John A. List, 2003. "Cigarette demand: a meta‐analysis of elasticities," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 12(10), pages 821-835, October.
    6. Farrelly, Matthew C. & Bray, Jeremy W. & Zarkin, Gary A. & Wendling, Brett W., 2001. "The joint demand for cigarettes and marijuana: evidence from the National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 51-68, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mohammed AL-MAHISH, 2017. "Cigarette, Alcohol, and Drug Demand for Young Population," Expert Journal of Economics, Sprint Investify, vol. 5(2), pages 62-70.

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