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Tobacco taxes and regressivity

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  • Gospodinov, Nikolay
  • Irvine, Ian

Abstract

Recent literature on tobacco taxation suggests that optimal tax rates should be very high. But such high taxes raise concerns over regressivity. Most econometric estimates of elasticities by income group use historic price data that are low, and the usefulness of such estimates is therefore questionable on account of the serious 'out of sample' prediction problem. To address that problem, this paper estimates price elasticities for different socioeconomic groups using recent Canadian survey data for a period during which prices rose to a level of about $7 per pack. The results provide little reason to overturn the traditional concerns about regressivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Gospodinov, Nikolay & Irvine, Ian, 2009. "Tobacco taxes and regressivity," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 375-384, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:28:y:2009:i:2:p:375-384
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    1. Donald S. Kenkel & Maximilian D. Schmeiser & Carly Urban, 2014. "Is Smoking Inferior?: Evidence from Variation in the Earned Income Tax Credit," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 49(4), pages 1094-1120.
    2. 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).
    3. 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.
    4. Davide Dragone & Francesco Manaresi & Luca Savorelli, 2016. "Obesity and Smoking: can we Kill Two Birds with one Tax?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(11), pages 1464-1482, November.
    5. Ian Irvine, 2008. "Smoking Intensity, Compensatory Behavior and Tobacco Tax Policy," Working Papers 200818, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    6. Qin, Ping. & Chen, Peilin. & Zhang, Xiao-Bing. & Xie, Lunyu., 2020. "Coal taxation reform in China and its distributional effects on residential consumers," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    7. 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.
    8. Richard Bird & Michael Smart & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2016. "Taxing Consumption in Canada: Rates, Revenues, and Redistribution," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1605, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    9. Martin Gonzalez-Rozada, 2019. "Increasing Cigarette Taxes is Unfair to the Poor? Evidence from Argentina," Department of Economics Working Papers 2019_01, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella.
    10. Anindya Sen, 2017. "Smokes, Smugglers and Lost Tax Revenues: How Governments Should Respond," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 471, February.
    11. Sen Anindya & Ariizumi Hideki & Driambe Daciana, 2010. "Do Changes In Cigarette Taxes Impact Youth Smoking? Evidence from Canadian Provinces," Forum for Health Economics & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 13(2), pages 1-25, August.
    12. D. Dragone & F. Manaresi & L. Savorelli, 2013. "Obesity and smoking: can we catch two birds with one tax?," Working Papers wp873, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    13. Davide, Dragone & Francesco, Manaresi & Luca, Savorelli, 2013. "Obesity and smoking: can we catch two birds with one tax?," SIRE Discussion Papers 2013-31, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    14. Colombo, Luca & Galmarini, Umberto, 2023. "Taxation and anti-smoking campaigns: Complementary policies in tobacco control," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 31-57.
    15. Raul A. Ponce-Rodriguez & Charles R. Hankla & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Eunice Heredia-Ortiz, 2016. "Frozen In Time: Rethinking the Poltical Economy of Decentralization: How Elections and Parties Shape the Provision of Local Public Goods," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1604, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.

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