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RESEARCH NEWS

Volume 1, Number 3  --  September 19, 1997

Prevention Works!

Reducing Youth Smoking Through Price and Other Tobacco Control Policies

Study Reviewed

Chaloupka, F. J., & Grossman, M. (1996). Price, tobacco control policies and youth smoking. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series 5740. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.

Study Focus

Chaloupka and Grossman examine the effectiveness of tax policies, clean air laws, and youth access laws as policies for reducing the rate of initiation and amount of cigarette smoking among youth.

Study Methodology

Data from the nationally representative Monitoring the Future Survey, conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, are used to examine smoking among youth. The survey includes a large sample of 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. Data from the years 1992, 1993, and 1994 are used.

Study Findings

The authors find that the price of cigarettes affects the percentage of youth who start smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked by young smokers. Their results indicate that States with higher prices have substantially less smoking, half of which is from fewer youth deciding to smoke and the other half from fewer cigarettes smoked by smokers. They also find that restrictions on smoking in public places are associated with fewer youth who smoke, and limits on smoking in schools are associated with lower average cigarette consumption by smokers. For example, their results indicate that limits on smoking in schools are associated with between 5 and 7 percent less overall smoking by smokers. Limits on access to tobacco products, however, were not found to be associated with less smoking by youth.

The Bottom Line

Chaloupka and Grossman suggest that changes in environmental policies could result in changes in smoking patterns among youth. In particular, they calculate that a 75-cent increase in Federal taxes would reduce the number of cigarettes smoked by one-half, including a 25 percent reduction in the number of people who start smoking and a 25 percent reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked by people who already smoke. These implications are consistent with other studies that find that higher taxes are associated with less smoking. Thus, increasing taxes holds great promise as a prevention strategy directed at youth.

Chaloupka and Grossman also suggest that restrictions on smoking in public places reduce smoking by youth. This result has also been found in a few other studies. Thus, policies to restrict locations where smoking is permitted show promise for affecting youth smoking behavior.

Finally, limits to youth’s access to tobacco, such as higher minimum purchase ages, were not found to be associated with use in this study. However, the authors point out that this result most likely reflects the lack of variation in laws and lack of enforcement of those laws during the time period considered. Other studies (see the 1994 Surgeon General’s report, "Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People: A Report of the Surgeon General") find that programs to enforce youth access laws are associated with fewer purchases and less use of tobacco by youth.

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