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Cigarette prices, smoking, and the poor: Implications of recent trends

Author

Listed:
  • Franks, P.
  • Jerant, A.F.
  • Leigh, J.P.
  • Lee, D.
  • Chiem, A.
  • Lewis, I.
  • Lee, S.

Abstract

Objective. We examined the relationship between smoking participation and cigarette pack price by income group and time period to determine role of cigarette prices in income-related disparities in smoking in the United States. Methods. We used data from the 1984-2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys linked to information on cigarette prices to examine the adjusted prevalence of smoking participation and smoking participation-cigarette pack price elasticity (change in percentage of persons smoking relative to a 1% change in cigarette price) by income group (lowest income quartile [lower] vs all other quartiles [higher]) and time period (before vs after the Master Settlement Agreement [MSA]). Results. Increased real cigarette-pack price over time was associated with a marked decline in smoking among higher-income but not among lower-income persons. Although the pre-MSA association between cigarette pack price and smoking revealed a larger elasticity in the lower- versus higher-income persons (-0.45 vs -0.22), the post-MSA association was not statistically significant (P>.2) for either income group. Conclusions. Despite cigarette price increases after the MSA, income-related smoking disparities have increased. Increasing cigarette prices may no longer be an effective policy tool and may impose a disproportionate burden on poor smokers.

Suggested Citation

  • Franks, P. & Jerant, A.F. & Leigh, J.P. & Lee, D. & Chiem, A. & Lewis, I. & Lee, S., 2007. "Cigarette prices, smoking, and the poor: Implications of recent trends," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(10), pages 1873-1877.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2006.090134_3
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2006.090134
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    Cited by:

    1. Steven F. Koch & Gauthier Tshiswaka-Kashalala, 2008. "Tobacco Substitution and the Poor," Working Papers 200832, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    2. Adél Bosch & Steven F. Koch, 2014. "Using a Natural Experiment to Examine Tobacco Tax Regressivity," Working Papers 434, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    3. François Gardes & Philip Merrigan, 2014. "Revisiting an important Canadian natural experiment with new methods: an evaluation of the impact of the 1994 tax decrease on smoking," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00974961, HAL.
    4. Ciccarelli, Carlo & De Fraja, Gianni & Vuri, Daniela, 2021. "Effects of passive smoking on prenatal and infant development: Lessons from the past," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    5. Jason Boardman & Casey Blalock & Fred Pampel & Peter Hatemi & Andrew Heath & Lindon Eaves, 2011. "Population Composition, Public Policy, and the Genetics of Smoking," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 48(4), pages 1517-1533, November.
    6. Pearl Bader & David Boisclair & Roberta Ferrence, 2011. "Effects of Tobacco Taxation and Pricing on Smoking Behavior in High Risk Populations: A Knowledge Synthesis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-22, October.
    7. Hung-Hao Chang & Tung-liang Chiang, 2009. "Depressive symptoms, smoking, and cigarette price elasticity: results from a population-based survey in Taiwan," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 54(6), pages 421-426, December.
    8. Cinzi Di Novi & Rowena Jacobs & Matteo Migheli, 2018. "Smoking Inequality across Genders and Socio-economic Classes. Evidence from Longitudinal Italian Data," DEM Working Papers Series 152, University of Pavia, Department of Economics and Management.
    9. Peretti-Watel, Patrick & L’haridon, Olivier & Seror, Valerie, 2012. "Responses to increasing cigarette prices in France: How did persistent smokers react?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(2), pages 169-176.
    10. Dinno, Alexis & Glantz, Stanton, 2009. "Tobacco control policies are egalitarian: A vulnerabilities perspective on clean indoor air laws, cigarette prices, and tobacco use disparities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(8), pages 1439-1447, April.
    11. Carpenter, Christopher S. & Sansone, Dario, 2021. "Cigarette taxes and smoking among sexual minority adults," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    12. Patrick Peretti-Watel & Jean Constance, 2009. "“It’s All We Got Left”. Why Poor Smokers are Less Sensitive to Cigarette Price Increases," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-14, February.
    13. Cinzia Novi & Rowena Jacobs & Matteo Migheli, 2020. "Smoking inequality across genders and socio-economic positions. Evidence from Italian data," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 177-203, October.
    14. Andrew Fenelon & Samuel Preston, 2012. "Estimating Smoking-Attributable Mortality in the United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(3), pages 797-818, August.
    15. Koch, Steven F., 2018. "Quasi-experimental evidence on tobacco tax regressivity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 19-28.
    16. Mariaelena Gonzalez & Anna E. Epperson & Bonnie Halpern-Felsher & Deanna M. Halliday & Anna V. Song, 2021. "Smokers Are More Likely to Smoke More after the COVID-19 California Lockdown Order," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-9, March.
    17. Jin, Hyun Joung & Cho, Sung Min, 2021. "Effects of cigarette price increase on fresh food expenditures of low-income South Korean households that spend relatively more on cigarettes," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(1), pages 75-82.
    18. Matthew C Farrelly & James M Nonnemaker & Kimberly A Watson, 2012. "The Consequences of High Cigarette Excise Taxes for Low-Income Smokers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(9), pages 1-7, September.

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