Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
In this paper, we develop a new direct measure of state anti‐smoking sentiment and merge it with micro‐data on youth smoking in 1992 and 2000. The empirical results from the cross‐sectional models show two consistent patterns: after controlling for differences in state anti‐smoking sentiment, the price of cigarettes has a weak and statistically, insignificant influence on smoking participation, and state anti‐smoking sentiment appears to have a potentially important influence on youth smoking participation. The cross‐sectional results are corroborated by results from the discrete time hazard models of smoking initiation that include state‐fixed effects. However, there is evidence of price‐responsiveness in the conditional cigarette demand by youth and young adult smokers. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.