Does cigarette price influence adolescent experimentation?

J Health Econ. 2001 Mar;20(2):261-70. doi: 10.1016/s0167-6296(00)00081-3.

Abstract

The economics literature generally agrees that state and federal excise taxes can play an important role in deterring adolescent smoking. Teens' apparent responsiveness to cigarette prices is puzzling, since the majority of adolescent smokers do not buy their cigarettes. Teens typically do not begin to purchase cigarettes until they have developed an established pattern of smoking. Previous studies have not had adequate measures of smoking experience to explore whether adolescents' price responsiveness may vary by smoking experience. This paper uses data from a 1993 national survey of youth smoking to explore this hypothesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology*
  • Adult
  • Behavior, Addictive / economics*
  • Child
  • Decision Making
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Smoking / economics*
  • Taxes / economics
  • Tobacco Industry / economics
  • United States