Exposure to cigarette taxes as a teenager and the persistence of smoking into adulthood

B-Tier
Journal: Health Economics
Year: 2024
Volume: 33
Issue: 9
Pages: 1962-1988

Authors (5)

Andrew Friedson (Milken Institute) Moyan Li (not in RePEc) Katherine Meckel (University of California-San D...) Daniel I. Rees (not in RePEc) Daniel W. Sacks (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.402 = (α=2.01 / 5 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Are teenage and adult smoking causally related? Recent anti‐tobacco policy is predicated on the assumption that preventing teenagers from smoking will ensure that fewer adults smoke, but direct evidence in support of this assumption is scant. Using data from three nationally representative sources and instrumenting for teenage smoking with cigarette taxes experienced at ages 14–17, we document a strong positive relationship between teenage and adult smoking: deterring 10 teenagers from smoking through raising cigarette taxes roughly translates into 5 fewer adult smokers. We conclude that efforts to reduce teenage smoking can have long‐lasting consequences on smoking participation and, presumably, health.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:wly:hlthec:v:33:y:2024:i:9:p:1962-1988
Journal Field
Health
Author Count
5
Added to Database
2026-01-25