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The article evaluates the development of the tax burden on cigarettes in the Czech Republic from 1993 to the end of 2023. Tax burden is represented by effective tax rate. The research results show that the tax burden on these products is still increasing. Not only does the tax burden increase, but so does the price of these products. The regression analysis results show that quantities such as the price of cigarettes, the effective tax rate or the amount of cigarettes consumed are factories that positively influence tax revenue. Since the tax rate or the price of these products constantly increases, the tax revenue is also increasing. It increased almost six-fold over the entire analyzed period. At the same time, it was found that other factors, such as the average wage, also affect the tax revenue. It is necessary to consider that the cigarette consumption has been showing a downward trend in recent years. However, the reason is not only the increasing tax burden and the price of these products but also the transition of consumers to so-called e-cigarettes. A reduction in cigarette consumption may be reflected in the future by reducing healthcare costs, which will create potential reductions in public health insurance payments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence suggests that cigarette costs significantly impact tobacco use, yet the effect of state-level cost variations on cigarette sales per capita in the US remains uncertain. This study investigates how state-level cigarette costs affect pack sales per capita consumption. This was an observational study of cigarette-pack sales per capita consumption in the United States. We used the tobacco tax burden data (1989–2019) and a two-way fixed-effects model to analyse how cigarette costs affect consumption. Our predictor variables were average cost per pack, state tax per pack, and combined federal and state tax as a percentage of the retail price. Additionally, we compared the percentage change in state cigarette taxes per pack for each state in five-year intervals, adjusting for inflation. Regression analysis revealed that a 10% increase in the average cost per pack was related to a 9.59% decrease in per capita cigarette consumption (β_average cost = −0.959, P < 0.001). Similarly, a rise in state tax per pack and a higher tax as a proportion of the retail price per pack were related to a decline in consumption (β_ state tax = −0.176, P < 0.001), (β_retail price = −0.323, P < 0.001). States that raised cigarette taxes beyond the rate of inflation had a higher reduction in cigarette per capita sales than those maintaining stable tax rates. Some states have not raised their cigarette taxes sufficiently to account for inflation. It appears that cigarette costs have significantly reduced cigarette consumption in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco taxes in Indonesia have always been increasing over the past period. However, little was known about the impact of increasing tobacco taxes on cigarette consumption in urban and rural communities. Therefore, we examine the impact of implementing tobacco taxation policies in Indonesia on cigarette consumption levels in urban and rural areas. This study uses panel data for the 2007–2022 period from 33 provinces in Indonesia. Data were sourced from the Central Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Indonesia and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia and were analyzed using the two-stage least squares (2SLS) model and the propensity score matching (PSM) model. Our finding shows that increased tobacco taxes negatively impact cigarette consumption in urban and rural areas. Even so, the decline in cigarette consumption in urban areas is still much lower than the reduction in rural areas.

Tobacco taxes in Indonesia have always been increasing over the past period. However, little was known about the impact of increasing tobacco taxes on cigarette consumption in urban and rural communities. Therefore, we examine the impact of implementing tobacco taxation policies in Indonesia on cigarette consumption levels in urban and rural areas. This study uses panel data for the 2007–2022 period from 33 provinces in Indonesia. Data were sourced from the Central Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Indonesia and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia and were analyzed using the two-stage least squares (2SLS) model and the propensity score matching (PSM) model. Our finding shows that increased tobacco taxes negatively impact cigarette consumption in urban and rural areas. Even so, the decline in cigarette consumption in urban areas is still much lower than the reduction in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In numerous developing nations, the impact of cigarette consumption on poverty often goes unnoticed by policymakers. This study endeavours to explore the correlation between household expenditure on cigarettes and levels of poverty and welfare. Beyond household spending, it also investigates the influence of regional functional expenditures and the prevalence of open unemployment on poverty and welfare. The examination encompasses 100 regencies and cities across three provinces: East Java (38 regencies and cities), West Java (27 regencies and cities), and Central Java (35 regencies and cities). Utilizing secondary data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia, collected in 2021, employing a cross-sectional approach, this study employs multiple linear regression analysis via the Stata 17 program to discern the impact of various factors, including household spending, regional functional spending, and control variables, on poverty and welfare. The findings reveal that household cigarette consumption significantly exacerbates poverty, indicating that an increase in such consumption escalates poverty rates. Conversely, the second estimation model demonstrates that increased household expenditure on cigarettes significantly diminishes welfare levels, underscoring the adverse impact of heightened smoking consumption on overall welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In numerous developing nations, the impact of cigarette consumption on poverty often goes unnoticed by policymakers. This study endeavours to explore the correlation between household expenditure on cigarettes and levels of poverty and welfare. Beyond household spending, it also investigates the influence of regional functional expenditures and the prevalence of open unemployment on poverty and welfare. The examination encompasses 100 regencies and cities across three provinces: East Java (38 regencies and cities), West Java (27 regencies and cities), and Central Java (35 regencies and cities). Utilizing secondary data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia, collected in 2021, employing a cross-sectional approach, this study employs multiple linear regression analysis via the Stata 17 program to discern the impact of various factors, including household spending, regional functional spending, and control variables, on poverty and welfare. The findings reveal that household cigarette consumption significantly exacerbates poverty, indicating that an increase in such consumption escalates poverty rates. Conversely, the second estimation model demonstrates that increased household expenditure on cigarettes significantly diminishes welfare levels, underscoring the adverse impact of heightened smoking consumption on overall welfare.

The cigarette commodity is the second largest contributor to the food poverty line. Several aspects imply that poor people consume cigarettes despite having a minimal income. In this study, we are interested in investigating factors influencing poor people to be active smokers. Since the consumption number is a set of count data with zero excess, we have an overdispersion problem. This implies that a standard Poisson regression technique cannot be implemented. On the other hand, the factors involved in the model need to be selected simultaneously. Therefore, we propose to use a zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression with a minimax concave penalty (MCP) to determine the dominant factors influencing cigarette consumption in poor households. The data used in this study were microdata from the National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS) conducted in March 2019 in East Java Province, Indonesia. The result shows that poor households with a male head of household, having no education, working in the informal sector, having many adult household members, and receiving social assistance tend to consume more cigarettes than others. Additionally, cigarette consumption decreases with the increasing age of the head of household. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In early 2000s the World Health Organization pointed Poland as an example to the rest of the world in the area of tobacco control. This was achieved by implementing a comprehensive tobacco control regime that resulted in declining smoking rates. Two of its most important elements were the anti-tobacco promotional policy included in national Anti-tobacco Programme and the steady increase of the excise taxes. This changed in 2016 when the tobacco control regime was significantly modified. The aim of the study was to analyse consequences of policy changes on the trends in registered cigarette sales, cigarette consumption and real price of cigarettes. Material and methods: Data on registered cigarette sales were obtained from the National Statistical Office and the Ministry of Finance. Trends were analysed using Joinpoint regression analysis. Results: Trend of registered cigarettes sales in Poland was decreasing until 2016. In 2016 cigarette sales reached 41.6 billion and then the trend reversed. In 2022 cigarette sales reached 50 billion thus it increased by 20% (APC 2016-2022 = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.1-5.3). Registered cigarette consumption per capita (15 years and more) in Poland corresponded to the sales data. It declined by 56% from 2,845 in 1999 to 1,259 cigarettes per capita in 2015. Then it started to increase reaching 1,563 cigarettes per capita in 2022 (increase by 24%). Real price of cigarettes was rising steadily since 2001 to 2015 (APC 7.0, 95% CI: 6.4-7.5, p < 0.001). Since 2015 to 2020 the level was frozen, and in 2020 it started to decline reaching 7.5 PLN in 2022. Conclusions: It seems necessary to immediately return to the Anti-tobacco Programme in Poland including i.e. anti-promotional pricing policy towards cigarettes. New strategies should be planned using Poland's successes and experiences in tobacco control from the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Significant changes occurred in the way people socialize and interact with each other since China reported its first COVID-19 cases. However, little is known about how smoking behaviors may have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The aim of this study was to assess changes in smoking behavior and intention to quit during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China and to investigate the associated factors. Methods An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among Chinese adult smokers. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling from 19 March to 2 April 2020. Results A total of 1388 smokers participated in this study. Of those, 1014 (73.0%) reported not changing their cigarette consumption, 104 (7.5%) reported smoking more and 268 (19.3%) reported smoking less due to the pandemic. Average daily cigarette consumption among all participants decreased from 15.0 (IQR: 10.0–20.0) to 13.0 (IQR: 8.0–20.0) (W=6.919, p

The cigarette commodity is the second largest contributor to the food poverty line. Several aspects imply that poor people consume cigarettes despite having a minimal income. In this study, we are interested in investigating factors influencing poor people to be active smokers. Since the consumption number is a set of count data with zero excess, we have an overdispersion problem. This implies that a standard Poisson regression technique cannot be implemented. On the other hand, the factors involved in the model need to be selected simultaneously. Therefore, we propose to use a zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression with a minimax concave penalty (MCP) to determine the dominant factors influencing cigarette consumption in poor households. The data used in this study were microdata from the National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS) conducted in March 2019 in East Java Province, Indonesia. The result shows that poor households with a male head of household, having no education, working in the informal sector, having many adult household members, and receiving social assistance tend to consume more cigarettes than others. Additionally, cigarette consumption decreases with the increasing age of the head of household.

Introduction Illicit cigarettes because of their affordability could increase smoking prevalence, especially among young people. They also cause a large revenue loss for the government. This study aims to estimate illicit cigarette consumption and government revenue loss in Indonesia, a country with a very high smoking prevalence, especially among males. Methods We estimated illicit cigarette trade in terms of volume and revenue loss. Illicit trade was estimated as the discrepancy between legal cigarette sales and domestic consumption recorded by national representative surveys. Data sources included Basic Health Research Survey, Global Adult Tobacco Survey, National Socioeconomic Survey, and data from Ministry of Finance. Results We found that illicit cigarette consumption fluctuated from 19 billion sticks in 2007 to 14 billion sticks in 2013, and sharply increased to 59 billion sticks in 2018. Relative to cigarette consumption, illicit cigarettes were the lowest at 5% in 2013 and highest at 19% of consumption in 2018 (assuming 0% underreporting). The estimated government revenue loss ranged from IDR 24.2 to 42.0 trillion (US$ 1668 to 2897 million), which corresponds to 15.8% to 27.5% of cigarette excise revenue in 2018. Conclusions In Indonesia, illicit cigarette consumption was found to be high and increasing, which contributed to a large government revenue loss (almost onethird of tobacco excise tax revenue). To reduce illegal cigarette production and smuggling, the government should increase resources to enforce the regulation on the excise tax system including stronger penalties, especially related to illicit cigarette production.

Introduction: Noncommunicable diseases are on the rise globally, with tobacco consumption being a major risk factor. Reducing tobacco consumption is an important step towards reducing the incidence and prevalence of many noncommunicable diseases. Tax and price measures have been proposed as tobacco control tools. This study investigated the link between cigarette prices and cigarette consumption in Ghana. Methods: Annual time series data for the period 1980–2016 were used. The data came from diverse sources, including WHO, World Bank, and tobacco industry documents. Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS), cointegration techniques, and three-stage least squares (3SLS) were used to analyze the data. Results: After controlling for education, income, and population growth, we estimated that the price elasticity of cigarette demand is between -0.35 and -0.52 and statistically significant at 1% level. In the short run, the price elasticity is -0.1. Another variable that significantly reduced cigarette consumption during the period was education, with an elasticity between -1.7 and -2.7. Conclusion: Cigarette demand in Ghana is influenced by cigarette prices and education. We conclude that tobacco taxes that significantly raise retail prices of cigarettes and higher education (including health education) will help reduce cigarette consumption.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of announcement of tax increases on factory‐made (FM) and roll‐your own (RYO) cigarettes in England. Design, Setting and Participants: Autoregressive integrated moving average with exogeneous input (ARIMAX) time–series modelling in England, UK. Data were aggregated monthly on 274 890 participants between 2007 and 2019 taking part in the Smoking Toolkit Study (STS). Measurements: The association of sustained step level changes for tax rises for FM cigarettes and temporary pulse effects for tax rises for RYO cigarettes with smoking, quit attempt and quit success prevalence as well as per‐capita self‐reported cigarette consumption and cost per cigarette was assessed. Findings A 10% rise in tax on RYO cigarettes was associated with a temporary 21.1% decline [95% confidence interval (CI) = –30.4 to −10.7] in smoking prevalence, and 20.7% decline (95% CI = –32.4 to −7.0) in per‐capita self‐reported cigarette consumption; while a 3% rise of tax on RYO cigarettes was associated with a temporary 20.7% decline (95% CI = –33.3 to −5.8) in the amount paid per RYO cigarette. For tax increases on FM cigarettes, a 5% above inflation tax rise was associated with a step‐level increase of 33.1% (95% CI = 18.4–49.5) in quit success rates. However, some of the findings were sensitive to model specification and temporally specific. Conclusion: The announcements of tax increases for cigarettes in England between 2010 and 2019 were inconsistently associated with temporary reductions in smoking prevalence, per‐capita self‐reported cigarette consumption and improved quit success. Paradoxically, reductions in the cost for roll‐your‐own cigarettes were also found. The results were not robust in all sensitivity analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Afyon Kocatepe University Journal of Social Sciences / Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of Afyon Kocatepe University (AKU) Sosyal Bilimler Enstitusu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction Social assistance programs create an income effect that allows lowincome groups to raise their consumption to improve their well-being. However, this may unintentionally induce an increase in their consumption of temptation goods, including tobacco. By analyzing five massive social assistance programs distributed by the government since 2007, we explore whether those programs may induce increased smoking intensity in Indonesia. Methods This study is a quantitative study that applies a Tobit regression, Differencein- Differences (DiD) regression, Difference regression, and two-sample t-test, using the 2017 Susenas (National Socioeconomic Survey) and the 2007 and 2014 Indonesia Family Life Survey. Estimations using sociodemographic, regional, and social assistance dummy variables are used to explore the impact of the programs on the intensity of cigarette consumption in Indonesia, simultaneously assessing the relationship between cigarette consumption and socioeconomic conditions. Results Our estimations using Tobit regressions confirm that social assistance recipients consume 3.39 cigarettes per capita per week more than non-recipients. The DiD regressions on IFLS panel data show that social assistance programs significantly increase cigarette consumption by 2.8 cigarettes per capita per week. We also find that: 1) smokers have lower socioeconomic indicators than nonsmokers in terms of nutrition and health and education expenditures, and 2) younger household members living with smokers have less educational attainment and higher average sick days. Conclusions There is reasonable evidence to support the hypothesis that social assistance programs in Indonesia have contributed to the greater intensity of tobacco consumption among the recipients. The findings call for policy reforms in social assistance programs to be warier with the eligibility conditions for social assistance recipients. Adding new conditions related to smoking behaviors might reduce the smoking intensity of those in low-income groups and, in the long run, might improve the effectiveness of social assistance programs in raising the socioeconomic welfare of the low-income population.

Aim: Turkey introduced price and non-price measures in recent years to reduce smoking. The government banned smoking in all enclosed workplaces and public places. Then, they extended the ban to include all restaurants, cafeterias, and the hospitality sector in 2009 and increased the Special Consumption Tax dramatically on tobacco products by 20 percent in 2010. This study aims to examine regional disparities in cigarette consumption across Turkish cities employing provincial-level data by utilizing a club convergence test. Material and Methods: We report some descriptive results for the smoking trend for sub-regions of Turkey. Then, we explore regional disparities in smoking across Turkish provinces, employing monthly provincial-level data, through a club convergence test in pre-pandemic period, 2009-2017. Results: Our results suggest that the initial effects of the anti-tobacco policies resulted in a substantial decline in smoking. It seems that distinct regions behave differently to the policy changes in a way that some areas reduce their cigarette consumption considerably while some regions did not. Club convergence test results demonstrate that it is not proper to conduct a common tobacco control policy in Turkey since there is more than one convergence club in the analyses. Conclusion: We encourage authorities to decentralize power by including local agencies and municipalities in enforcing the anti-tobacco law. We urge authorities to take different policy measures for different regions. Besides, from a pandemic perspective, one can argue that the regional disparities in cigarette consumption is also a signal for the need of diversified health policies across regions in Turkey.

Ming-Lung Chuang,1,2 Benjamin Yung-Thing Hsieh,3 I-Feng Lin4 1Division of Pulmonary Medicine and Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, 40201, Republic of China; 2School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, 40201, Republic of China; 3School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, 11221, Republic of China; 4Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, 11221, Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ming-Lung ChuangDivision of Pulmonary Medicine and Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, #110, Section 1, Chien-Kuo North Road, South District, Taichung, 40201, Taiwan, Republic of ChinaTel +886-4-2473-9595 ext. 34718Email yuan1007@ms36.hinet.netI-Feng LinInstitute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, 155, Sec 2, LihNong Street, ShiPai, Taipei, Taiwan, 11221, Republic of ChinaEmail iflin@ym.edu.twBackground: Measures of forced expired volume in one second % predicted (FEV1%), residual volume to total lung capacity ratio (RV/TLC) and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide measurements (DLCO) are the standard lung function test for evaluating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The dead space fraction (VD/VT) has been shown to be a robust marker of gas exchange abnormality. However, the use of VD/VT has gradually become less common. As VD/VT measured at rest (VD/VTR) has been successfully used in non-COPD conditions, it was hypothesized that in COPD the VD/VTR was more sensitive than the standard lung function test in correlation with clinical characteristics and gas exchange. This study aimed to test the hypothesis and to identify the variables relevant to VD/VTR.Methods: A total of 46 male subjects with COPD were enrolled. Clinical characteristics included demographic data, oxygen-cost diagram (OCD), and image studies for pulmonary hypertension. The standard lung function was obtained. To calculate VD/VT, invasive arterial blood gas and pulmonary gas exchange (PGX) were measured. The variables relevant to VD/VTR were analyzed by multiple linear regression.Results: Compared to lung function, VD/VTR was more frequently and significantly related to smoking, carboxyhemoglobin level, pulmonary hypertension and PaCO2 (all p < 0.05) whereas FEV1% was more related to lung function test, PaO2 and OCD score. VD/VTR and FEV1% were highly related to resting gas exchange but RV/TLC and DLCO% were not. Cigarette consumption, the equivalent for CO2 output, arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation, and the product of tidal volume and inspiratory duty cycle were identified as the parameters relevant to VD/VTR with a power of 0.72.Conclusion: Compared to lung function test, VD/VTR is more related to clinical characteristics and is a comprehensive marker of resting gas exchange. Further studies are warranted to provide a noninvasive measurement of VD/VTR.Registration Number: MOST 106– 2314-B-040-025 and CSH-2019-C-30.Keywords: obstructive airway disease, residual volume and total lung capacity ratio, diffusing capacity of lung, dead space and tidal volume ratio, cigarette consumption, carboxyhemoglobin, pulmonary hypertension

INTRODUCTION Illicit cigarettes because of their affordability could increase smoking prevalence, especially among young people. They also cause a large revenue loss for the government. This study aims to estimate illicit cigarette consumption and government revenue loss in Indonesia, a country with a very high smoking prevalence, especially among males. METHODS We estimated illicit cigarette trade in terms of volume and revenue loss. Illicit trade was estimated as the discrepancy between legal cigarette sales and domestic consumption recorded by national representative surveys. Data sources included Basic Health Research Survey, Global Adult Tobacco Survey, National Socioeconomic Survey, and data from Ministry of Finance. RESULTS We found that illicit cigarette consumption fluctuated from 19 billion sticks in 2007 to 14 billion sticks in 2013, and sharply increased to 59 billion sticks in 2018. Relative to cigarette consumption, illicit cigarettes were the lowest at 5% in 2013 and highest at 19% of consumption in 2018 (assuming 0% underreporting). The estimated government revenue loss ranged from IDR 24.2 to 42.0 trillion (US$ 1668 to 2897 million), which corresponds to 15.8% to 27.5% of cigarette excise revenue in 2018. CONCLUSIONS In Indonesia, illicit cigarette consumption was found to be high and increasing, which contributed to a large government revenue loss (almost onethird of tobacco excise tax revenue). To reduce illegal cigarette production and smuggling, the government should increase resources to enforce the regulation on the excise tax system including stronger penalties, especially related to illicit cigarette production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments across the world have been fighting against tobacco use by introducing a series of anti-tobacco measures to eliminate tobacco-related diseases. After ratifying the first global public health treaty by the World Health Organization in 2005, Turkey urgently implemented a series of anti-smoking policies to address the tobacco epidemic. We utilized data from the Global Adult Tobacco Surveys 2008 and 2012 for Turkey and implemented a Linear Probability Model to estimate the effect of introducing anti-smoking policies to provide new evidence on reducing smoking. Two significant anti-tobacco policies undertaken between 2009 and 2010 had a significant negative impact on the likelihood of being a current smoker. The new policies helped reduce the probability of being smokers for both females and males, but the effect was more substantial for male adults. Education has distinct effects on females and males such that with more education, female adults are more likely to smoke while the opposite is true for male adults. Policymakers should consider these findings to address tobacco consumption and announce multiple policies taking gender differences into account to stop the smoking epidemic.

Introduction: In 2017, New York City (NYC) passed a minimum floor price law (MFPL) to raise the minimum price of a pack of cigarettes to $13.00. Evaluation of the MFPL in NYC is limited and has yet to examine its potential as a pro-equity policy., Methods: Data (n = 20,241; pre-policy n =15,037, post-policy n =5,204) were obtained from the New York State Adult Tobacco Survey, a quarterly repeated cross-sectional survey. Using the Difference-in-Differences approach, we compared changes in reported cigarette prices, cigarette consumption, and smoking status among NYC residents before and after policy implementation to changes in the same outcomes among residents in the rest of the state (ROS) over the same period., Results: For some smokers, cigarette price increased in NYC for post-policy period; moreover, prices increased more in NYC than in ROS. NYC smokers who reported higher income, more education, or White or "Other" race, reported a bigger price increase than their ROS counterparts. Cigarette consumption decreased more in the post-policy period for people in the ROS, in general and among certain groups. Everyday smoking status decreased similarly in both NYC and ROS, whereas someday smoking status decreased primarily in the ROS during the analysis period., Conclusions: Cigarette prices in NYC increased after the 2017 MFPL; these increases were greater than those occurring elsewhere in the state, suggesting the policy might be a factor in the change. However, the increases were concentrated among relatively higher priced purchases, and groups with lower smoking prevalence. Changes in smoking status and cigarette consumption did not correspond to study hypotheses., Implications: This study provides an empirical analysis of a real-world policy in tobacco control. It examines the potential of the MFPL in New York City as a pro-equity policy. Findings extend the current MFPL literature and suggest that they may be able to raise cigarette prices for some purchases, but also may have a limited impact on smoking behaviors., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Copyright of Optimum: Journal of Economics & Management Sciences / Ekonomi ve Yönetim Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Optimum: Journal of Economics & Management Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Modelling disease risk from e-cigarette use requires knowing how much e-cigarette uptake affects a smoker’s cigarette consumption. From Waves 1-3 of the US PATH study and other evidence, we sought answers to three questions: (Q1) Does consumption differ between dual users and exclusive smokers? (Q2) Does initiating e-cigarettes affect cigarette consumption? (Q3) Is baseline consumption related to later initiation of e-cigarettes? Methods: Consumption data from PATH were corrected for clear recording errors, with e-cigarette use classified as established or every day, and adjustment made for demographics, use of alcohol, drugs and other tobacco products, and age of starting smoking. Searches identified other studies published since 2008, with Q1 answered from cross-sectional studies, and Q2 and Q3 also from prospective studies. Results: (Q1) In PATH, consumption in current every day e-cigarette users was 2-3 cigarettes per day lower in dual users, with no difference seen in established users. From 31 published studies, consumption was no lower in dual users for current or ever e-cigarette users. (Q2) In PATH study consistent decreases in consumption occurred in those becoming every day dual users with increases seen in those reverting to exclusive smoking. Thirteen published studies consistently showed reduced consumption in those becoming dual users. (Q3) Three studies consistently showed greater consumption in smokers subsequently initiating e-cigarettes, but no significant difference was seen for PATH. Conclusions: Assessment is complicated by the few every day e-cigarette users in PATH, and between-study variability in quantifying e-cigarette use and presentation of results. As taking up e-cigarettes is associated with reducing consumption, finding no clear cross-sectional difference between dual users and exclusive smokers suggests smokers taking up e-cigarettes had higher consumption initially, limited evidence supporting this. Given the much lower disease risk of e-cigarettes vs. cigarettes, smokers becoming dual users should somewhat reduce their disease risk.

Turkey introduced the public-place and workplace smoking regulation in 2008, which was expanded in 2009, including hotels, restaurants, bars, and teahouses. We study the predictors of smoking status, smoking intensity, and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) at home in Turkey. We then examine the relationship between the smoking bans and exposure to ETS at workplaces, home, and public places such as restaurants, teahouses, bars, and public transportation, including taxis using data from Turkey’s Health Surveys about respondents’ ETS exposure. Our multivariate regression analyses indicate that age, gender, marital status, employment status, income, and education have a statistically significant relationship with smoking status and smoking intensity. T-test results indicate that there has been an increase in exposure to ETS in public places between 2010 and 2012, which indicates weak enforcement of the law in the early years. Besides, exposure to ETS at workplaces have declined between 2010 and 2012. We also find that the public smoking ban did not lead to ETS displacement to private homes. We encourage policymakers to take more severe steps to enforce the law, especially in public places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Many smokers who start using ENDS engage in dual use of cigarettes and ENDS. This paper examines time trends in dual use after a JUUL Starter Kit purchase, and changes in cigarette consumption among those remaining dual users. Methods: In the ADJUSST study, a cohort of adult smokers who purchased a JUUL Starter Kit were followed naturalistically 6 times over 12 months. Trends in dual use and reported complete switching away from cigarettes (ie, no past 30-day smoking), and changes in daily average cigarettes per day from baseline at 6 and 12 months were examined. Results: Dual use declined over time as complete switching increased. By 12 months, 43.2% reported dual using, and 51.2% reported switching away from cigarettes. Among dual users, approximately 60% reduced their cigarette consumption substantially (by = 50%); average reductions in cigarette consumption were > 80%. Only a small minority (3%-10%) substantially increased cigarette consumption. Conclusions: Dual use of smoking and JUUL declines over time as switching away from smoking increases. This suggests that, for most smokers, dual use is a transitional state leading to switching completely away from cigarettes. Furthermore, dual use is often marked by substantial reductions in cigarette consumption. ACKNOWLEDGMENT & CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: Funding for this study was provided by Juul Labs Inc. Through Pinney Associates, Saul Shiffman provides consulting services on tobacco harm reduction on an exclusive basis to Juul Labs Inc. In that role, he acted as internal editor and coordinator for the papers in this special issue. Erik Augustson is a full-time employee of Juul Labs Inc. As Senior Director of Behavioral Affairs at JLI, he oversaw the conduct of the behavioral research reported in this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Social assistance programs create an income effect that allows low-income groups to raise their consumption to improve their well-being. However, this may unintentionally induce an increase in their consumption of temptation goods, including tobacco. By analyzing five massive social assistance programs distributed by the government since 2007, we explore whether those programs may induce increased smoking intensity in Indonesia. METHODS This study is a quantitative study that applies a Tobit regression, Difference-in-Differences (DiD) regression, Difference regression, and two-sample t-test, using the 2017 Susenas (National Socioeconomic Survey) and the 2007 and 2014 Indonesia Family Life Survey. Estimations using sociodemographic, regional, and social assistance dummy variables are used to explore the impact of the programs on the intensity of cigarette consumption in Indonesia, simultaneously assessing the relationship between cigarette consumption and socioeconomic conditions. RESULTS Our estimations using Tobit regressions confirm that social assistance recipients consume 3.39 cigarettes per capita per week more than non-recipients. The DiD regressions on IFLS panel data show that social assistance programs significantly increase cigarette consumption by 2.8 cigarettes per capita per week. We also find that: 1) smokers have lower socioeconomic indicators than non-smokers in terms of nutrition and health and education expenditures, and 2) younger household members living with smokers have less educational attainment and higher average sick days. CONCLUSIONS There is reasonable evidence to support the hypothesis that social assistance programs in Indonesia have contributed to the greater intensity of tobacco consumption among the recipients. The findings call for policy reforms in social assistance programs to be warier with the eligibility conditions for social assistance recipients. Adding new conditions related to smoking behaviors might reduce the smoking intensity of those in low-income groups and, in the long run, might improve the effectiveness of social assistance programs in raising the socioeconomic welfare of the low-income population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Omer Halisdemir Universitesi Iktisadi ve Idari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Omer Halisdemir University, Faculty of Economics & Admistrative Sciene and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background Tobacco vaporizers heat tobacco without burning it, to produce an inhalable aerosol. Various models have recently appeared on the market, mostly manufactured by the tobacco industry, but few of the studies published on tobacco vaporizers are independent from the manufacturers. The goals of this study were to explore who uses tobacco vaporizers, how these products are used, reasons for utilization, perceived advantages and risks. Methods Online questionnaire collected from October 2016 to January 2018 in self-selected visitors aged > 18 to an anti-addiction website. Results We obtained 170 valid responses, of whom 104 were using tobacco vaporizers. For homogeneity, we included only the 102 users of the Brand 1 tobacco vaporizer in our analysis, as there were only two users of other vaporizers. Among these 102 vaporizer users, about half were current cigarette smokers (57%), the rest were former cigarette smokers. The median age was 41, and the median duration of utilization was 9 months. Most (88%) used the vaporizer daily, 8% were occasional users and 4% were past users. Among current smokers, 80% were currently trying to reduce their cigarette consumption and 29% were trying to quit. The vaporizer was used mainly to replace cigarettes (94%), because it was perceived to be less toxic than cigarettes (89%), to help stop smoking or to avoid starting smoking again (72%), or to reduce cigarette consumption (71%). Current smokers who were daily or occasional vaporizer users reported smoking a median of 8.0 cigarettes per day, compared with 20.0 per day before they started to use the vaporizer (p

Aim: Turkey introduced price and non-price measures in recent years to reduce smoking. The government banned smoking in all enclosed workplaces and public places. Then, they extended the ban to include all restaurants, cafeterias, and the hospitality sector in 2009 and increased the Special Consumption Tax dramatically on tobacco products by 20 percent in 2010. This study aims to examine regional disparities in cigarette consumption across Turkish cities employing provincial-level data by utilizing a club convergence test. Material and Methods: We report some descriptive results for the smoking trend for subregions of Turkey. Then, we explore regional disparities in smoking across Turkish provinces, employing monthly provincial-level data, through a club convergence test in pre-pandemic period, 2009-2017. Results: Our results suggest that the initial effects of the anti-tobacco policies resulted in a substantial decline in smoking. It seems that distinct regions behave differently to the policy changes in a way that some areas reduce their cigarette consumption considerably while some regions did not. Club convergence test results demonstrate that it is not proper to conduct a common tobacco control policy in Turkey since there is more than one convergence club in the analyses. Conclusion: We encourage authorities to decentralize power by including local agencies and municipalities in enforcing the anti-tobacco law. We urge authorities to take different policy measures for different regions. Besides, from a pandemic perspective, one can argue that the regional disparities in cigarette consumption is also a signal for the need of diversified health policies across regions in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Modelling disease risk from e-cigarette use requires knowing how much e-cigarette uptake affects a smoker’s cigarette consumption. From Waves 1-3 of the US PATH study and other evidence, we sought answers to three questions: (Q1) Does consumption differ between dual users and exclusive smokers? (Q2) Does initiating e-cigarettes affect cigarette consumption? (Q3) Is baseline consumption related to later initiation of e-cigarettes? Methods: Consumption data from PATH were corrected for clear recording errors, with e-cigarette use classified as established or every day, and adjustment made for demographics, use of alcohol, drugs and other tobacco products, and age of starting smoking. Searches identified other studies published since 2008, with Q1 answered from cross-sectional studies, and Q2 and Q3 also from prospective studies. Results: (Q1) In PATH, consumption in current every day e-cigarette users was 2-3 cigarettes per day lower in dual users, with no difference seen in established users. From 31 published studies, consumption was no lower in dual users for current or ever e-cigarette users. (Q2) In PATH study consistent decreases in consumption occurred in those becoming every day dual users with increases seen in those reverting to exclusive smoking. Thirteen published studies consistently showed reduced consumption in those becoming dual users. (Q3) Three studies consistently showed greater consumption in smokers subsequently initiating e-cigarettes, but no significant difference was seen for PATH. Conc lusions: Assessment is complicated by the few every day e-cigarette users in PATH, and between-study variability in quantifying e-cigarette use and presentation of results. As taking up e-cigarettes is associated with reducing consumption, finding no clear cross-sectional difference between dual users and exclusive smokers suggests smokers taking up e-cigarettes had higher consumption initially, limited evidence supporting this. Given the much lower disease risk of e-cigarettes vs. cigarettes, smokers becoming dual users should somewhat reduce their disease risk.

Copyright of Sosyologca is the property of Sosyologca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective To explore the cognition of coronavirus disease 2019（COVID-19）epidemic and its relationship with smoking during the COVID-19 epidemic and provide reference for smoking cessation intervention. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among Chinese smokers aged≥ 18 by an online questionnaire. Demographic information，tabacco addiction，daily cigarette consumption during the epidemic，smoking behavior，cognition of COVID-19 epidemic，and other information were collected through Wenjuanxin platform during Mar 19 to Apr 2，2020. Chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regressions were used for statistical analysis. Results Among 1 388 participants with an average age of 43.91±11.95 years old（ranging 18-75），95.7% of then were males. In all，1 014（73.0%）of the participants had not changed their smoking consumption during the epidemic，while 107（7.7%）smoked more and 267（19.2%）smoked less. Factors contributing to the reduction in smoking included disagreed with the statement that“Smoking can prevent COVID-19”（OR=1.56，95%CI：1.13-2.15），disagreed with the statement that“Cigarette smoke is helpful in killing the virus of COVID-19”（OR=1.63，95%CI：1.17- 2.26），and agreed that“Fine particles produced by smoking may increase the spread of virus”（OR=1.84， 95%CI：1.32-2.57）. Conclusion It is necessary to clarify the misunderstanding related to smoking and improve the health literacy of smokers through media.We should strengthen smoking cessation intervention focusing on respiratory health and the cognition of COVID-19 epidemic in smoking cessation clinics， smoking cessation hotline and other smoking cessation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The health consequences of smoking are serious and have been frequently detailed. A reduction in tobacco-related mortality hinges upon the ability to reduce tobacco usage. There is overwhelming evidence that higher cigarette prices reduce the demand for cigarettes, but little is known about the combined effect of price and non-price policies. This paper seeks to extend the analysis of price elasticities by estimating the combined effect of changes in price and non-price legislations in South Africa. Methods Annual time-series data from 1961 to 2016 are used, with a policy index constructed to capture the instances of non-price tobacco legislation. We estimate the combined impact of changes in tobacco control policy on cigarette consumption using a vector error correction model (VECM) and a two-stage least squares (2SLS) model. Results The estimated long-run own-price elasticities lie between -0.55 and -0.72, while the income elasticities lie between 0.39 and 0.49. The coefficients of the changing tobacco control policies and the changing market structure show that they contribute to a modest reduction in cigarette consumption. The short-run deviations from the steady state are presented using the error correction term (ECT). Conclusions Cigarette demand is responsive to cigarette prices and non-pricing policies but failure to control for non-pricing policies overstates the price effect. This suggests that both cigarette prices and non-pricing legislation are effective in reducing cigarette consumption.

Abstract Background Cigarette consumption has been identified as the main non‐etiological factor in head and neck cancer (HNC) development. One of the main compounds in cigarettes is nicotine, which binds directly to nicotine acetylcholine receptors (nAchRs) in the body, which are encoded by different genes of the CHRNA family. Polymorphisms in some of these genes have been studied in relation to the risk of HNC and cigarette consumption intensity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there were associations between the CHRNA3 (rs578776) and CHRNA5 (rs16969968) polymorphisms and HNC risk and between the polymorphisms and the intensity of cigarette consumption. Methods A total of 1,067 individuals from Heliopolis Hospital in São Paulo were investigated, including 619 patients with HNC and 448 patients without diagnosed tumors. All participants answered a questionnaire about sociodemographic information and cigarette consumption data. The polymorphisms were determined by TaqMan genotyping by real‐time PCR. Results The polymorphisms studied, rs578776 (CHRNA3) and rs16969968 (CHRNA5), did not have an association with HNC risk, but the rs16969968 homozygous genotype was associated with increased cigarette consumption intensity (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.05–3.58). Conclusion The polymorphism CHRNA5 can be considered an indirect risk factor for neoplasms in these Brazilian samples when cigarette consumption increased.

Introduction: Although many studies on Isfahan’s air pollution have been done, there is no report about the effects of cigarette consumption in Isfahan. The aims of this study were (a) to find the amount of nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emitted by cigarette consumption in Isfahan; and (b) to model the distribution of such pollutants in Isfahan’s atmosphere. Materials and methods: Based on the literature, it is assumed that 15% of Isfahan’s people consume cigarettes and each smoker on average smokes 1,147 cigarettes per year. Based on these assumptions, the 249,000 smokers living in Isfahan consume 285,000,000 cigarettes per year. The amount of pollutant emissions was calculated by existing emission factors for cigarette consumption. Finally, the distribution of the emitted pollutants from cigarette consumption in Isfahan’s atmosphere was modeled using AERMOD. Results: The results illustrated that each year, 2.85 kg nitrogen oxides, 2.85 kg hydrocarbons, 37.05 kg carbon monoxide and 142.5 kg carbon dioxide are emitted into Isfahan’s atmosphere from residents’ smoking. The modeling of pollutants’ dispersion in Isfahan’s atmosphere showed that only some of these pollutants result from cigarette consumption. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the amount of pollutants emitted by cigarette consumption was negligible compared to the other pollutant sources in Isfahan.

Objective This study compares the effect of industry vs government induced cigarette price increases on cigarette consumption in Taiwan. Methods Using governmental tax and market survey data, we analyzed the changes in cigarette retail prices, sales volume, and net revenue of the top tobacco companies in Taiwan from 2011 to 2016, when no tax increases occurred. We also examined the same market reactions when the government raised tax in 2017-2018. Results Retail price of cigarette increased from 15 to 20 National Taiwan Dollars (NTD) across different brands by the industry from 2010-2016. Cigarette consumption per one adult (aged 15yrs+) decreased slightly by 5% from 1,781 sticks to 1,687 sticks per year which translated to less than 1% annual decline during this period. On the contrary, the cigarette consumption dropped significantly to 1,406 sticks in 2018, a significant 18.6% declined from 2016 after the government raised tobacco tax by 20 NTD in 2017. Conclusions The low and unchanged taxes environment enabled tobacco companies to use aggressive pricing and segmentation strategies to increase cigarette prices without making them less affordable, while simultaneously also maintaining customers’ loyalty and kept consumption level. On the contrary, the tax-induced price increase was universally applied across all cigarette brands and segments. The national cigarette consumption declining rapidly from 1.72 billion packs in 2016 to 1.41 billion packs in 2018, representing the first significant decline in tobacco consumption since 2010 in Taiwan.

Background: Smoking-related intervention remains an important social marketing challenge. This article investigates the role of precipitation in driving smoking initiation and, by extension, examines how the nature of the persuasive appeal of anti-smoking messages can mitigate this effect. Focus of the Article: Research and Evaluation, Insights on Social Marketing-Mix (i.e., 4Ps). Research Question: This article aimed to investigate the role of precipitation in driving smoking initiation as well as to examine how the nature of the persuasive appeal of anti-smoking messages might moderate this effect. Importance to the Social Marketing Field: This research extends prior literature exploring how external factors might impact cigarette consumption. Also, this study brings a new understanding regarding the role of affect in everyday consumption and enriches the literature studying downstream consequences of negative affect and emotion regulation. Moreover, this research contributes to the theory of consumption motive and yields managerial implications into the social marketing domain regarding curbing precipitation-induced smoking. Methods: This research utilizes a survey (Study 1) and a controlled laboratory experiment (Study 2). Results: The results provide converging evidence that precipitation tends to induce one's negative mood, which in turn triggers urges to smoke (Study 1—marginally significant main effect of weather: p =.058). Furthermore, the hedonic (vs. utilitarian) anti-smoking message is more likely to mitigate the precipitation-induced cigarette smoking (Study 2—significant interaction between weather and persuasion type: p =.04). Recommendations for Research or Practice: This research deepens the understanding of how natural environment, and precipitation, in particular, is linked to cigarette-smoking behavior and contributes to the literature on cigarette consumption and affect regulation. For social marketers and policy makers, the findings offer actionable insights into leveraging social marketing-mix (i.e., 4Ps) in the context of smoking-related interventions. Limitations: Conceptualization of negative mood was broad. Future research should investigate the specific types of negative moods (e.g., anger, depression, sadness) for a more nuanced understanding of the precipitation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The health consequences of smoking are serious and have been frequently detailed. A reduction in tobacco-related mortality hinges upon the ability to reduce tobacco usage. There is overwhelming evidence that higher cigarette prices reduce the demand for cigarettes, but little is known about the combined effect of price and non-price policies. This paper seeks to extend the analysis of price elasticities by estimating the combined effect of changes in price and non-price legislations in South Africa. METHODS Annual time-series data from 1961 to 2016 are used, with a policy index constructed to capture the instances of non-price tobacco legislation. We estimate the combined impact of changes in tobacco control policy on cigarette consumption using a vector error correction model (VECM) and a two-stage least squares (2SLS) model. RESULTS The estimated long-run own-price elasticities lie between -0.55 and -0.72, while the income elasticities lie between 0.39 and 0.49. The coefficients of the changing tobacco control policies and the changing market structure show that they contribute to a modest reduction in cigarette consumption. The short-run deviations from the steady state are presented using the error correction term (ECT). CONCLUSIONS Cigarette demand is responsive to cigarette prices and non-pricing policies but failure to control for non-pricing policies overstates the price effect. This suggests that both cigarette prices and non-pricing legislation are effective in reducing cigarette consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, I explore smoking behavior among pregnant U.S. women using the 1979 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. The key aspect of this study is the availability of smoking participation data before and during pregnancy. I consider the probabilities of smoking cessation while pregnant as the outcome. I find that pregnant women who smoke are less responsive to price changes when they are more future-oriented. Women who are more present-oriented are more likely to smoke and consume more cigarettes given that they smoke more than those who are future-oriented. Moreover, those who discount the future more heavily are more sensitive to the money price of cigarettes than those who are more future-oriented. I focus on the role of time preference and the interaction between time preference and price in determining these outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of cigarette consumption during 1960-2016 in Turkey by employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach. The variables of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, real price of cigarettes, tertiary school enrollment (gross %), urban population (% of total), and tobacco control were adapted as the independent variables. The estimation results reveal that real GDP per capita, urbanization, and tobacco controls positively affect the cigarette consumption while the cigarette prices and level of education negatively affect smoking. Urbanization is the most impactful variable on cigarette consumption, followed respectively by tertiary school enrollment, real GDP per capita, real price of cigarettes, and tobacco control. The estimation results also suggest that controlling the cigarette prices and educating people about the hazardous effects of smoking are important policies for reducing cigarette consumption. The tobacco control policies have not yet had a reducing effect on the cigarette consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in Keşan and İpsala, two districts of Edirne. The present study was conducted to determine the level of cigarette consumption among smokers and the factors affecting cigarette consumption. The study sample included 888 smokers, all over 18 years of age. A questionnaire consisting of 21 questions was administered to the participants. The data was analyzed using the SPSS 21. Of the participants, 57% started smoking due to peer influence. Smoking 6 or more packs of cigarettes per week was more prevalent among those having an elementary school education or less (77.2%) compared to high school graduates (65.1%), or university graduates (60.5%). Indeed, smoking 6 or more packs of cigarettes each week was 23 times more likely among those who considered themselves heavy smokers than among those who considered themselves light smokers. Cigarette consumption was associated with sociodemographic variables such as age, education, and gender. The sociodemographic factors associated with smoking discovered in this study could guide and support the development of public health strategies to discourage people from smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Reducing temporal discounting may help smokers to reduce their smoking by improving inhibitory control. This study aimed to assess whether viewing pictures of natural versus urban scenes would cause participants to smoke fewer cigarettes mediated by lower temporal discounting. Design: A single‐factor (natural scene, urban scene and control) between‐subjects design was employed. Setting: Laboratory at Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan. Participants: A community sample of 93 daily smokers. Intervention and comparator: Participants were exposed to pictures of natural or urban scenes or no images (control). Measurements: The discounting measure was implemented after the landscape exposure manipulation. Participants expressed their preferences related to winning a lottery by answering a series of nine binary choice questions, opting either to receive a certain amount of money immediately or varying amounts of money 1 year in the future. The dependent measure was cigarette consumption during an ostensible survey. Findings: Participants exposed to pictures of natural scenes smoked fewer cigarettes [mean = 1.1 cigarettes, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.7, 1.6] than did those exposed to pictures of urban scenes (mean = 2.1 cigarettes, 95% CI = 1.7, 2.6, 0.002) and control participants (mean = 1.8 cigarettes, 95% CI = 1.4, 2.3, 0.029). The discounting rate mediated the association between exposure to nature and the amount of smoking (B = −0.62, 95% CI = −1.07, −0.20, P < 0.01). Conclusions: Exposing smokers to pictures of natural landscapes may lead to reduced smoking by lowering temporal discounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of happiness or subjective well-being (SWB) employ a variety of conceptualizations and item formats. Some authorities prefer to focus on the cognitive or evaluative component of SWB in studies of national happiness, and consider the affective component a lesser priority. However, we show that the latter component has unique and important predictive properties. We measured the stable element of the affective component (being "usually happy and in a good mood") in 44,096 respondents recruited probabilistically from 56 societies (nations and some ethnic groups), from all inhabited continents. Consistent with previous studies, we obtained the highest positive affect scores in the nations of northern Latin America and Africa, whereas the highest percentages of respondents "rarely in a good mood" were recorded in East Asia, Russia, Italy, and the Arab world. Our happiness measure is a significant negative predictor of national suicide rates and cigarette consumption, after controlling for other plausible predictors, including other SWB measures from the World Values Survey, Veenhoven's World Database of Happiness, and climate and socioeconomic variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past ten years have witnessed a major turnabout in government policy on tobacco control in South Africa. Within a relatively short time, government policy has changed from complete apathy to one where the tobacco control measures are regarded as some of the most pro-gressive in the world.South Africa’s tobacco control policy rests on two impor-tant pillars: legislation and excise tax increases. In 1999 the government passed legislation that banned tobacco advertising and sponsorship, prohibited smoking in all pub-lic places (including workplaces), and banned the sale of tobacco to minors. This legislation was an amendment to an act passed in 1993 that prohibited smoking on public transport and introduced health warnings for the first time.As well as increasing the implicit costs of smoking, the legislation prohibiting smoking in public and work places represents a clear transfer of property rights from smok-ers to non-smokers. Whereas previously smokers enjoyed the right to pollute the air, the legislation unambiguously assigns non-smokers the right to unpolluted air. Although the direct impact of the legislation on tobacco consump-tion is still unclear, the legislation has continued the trend of deglamorising smoking in South Africa. As a result, smoking is no longer regarded as socially acceptable by large sections of the population.In the past decade the government has substantially increased the excise tax on tobacco products for health reasons. Since 1994 the nominal tax on cigarettes has increased by nearly 25 per cent each year. Econometric evidence indicates that the resulting price increases have had a significant impact on cigarette consumption. The aim of this paper is to investigate tax increases in some detail.

Abstract Background European Union public healthcare expenditure on treating smoking and attributable diseases is estimated at over €25bn annually. The reduction of tobacco consumption has thus become one of the major social policies of the EU. This study investigates the effects of price hikes on cigarette consumption, tobacco tax revenues and smoking-caused deaths in 28 EU countries. Methods Employing panel data for the years 2005 to 2014 from Euromonitor International, the World Bank and the World Health Organization, we used income as a threshold variable and applied threshold regression modelling to estimate the elasticity of cigarette prices and to simulate the effect of price fluctuations. Results The results showed that there was an income threshold effect on cigarette prices in the 28 EU countries that had a gross national income (GNI) per capita lower than US$5418, with a maximum cigarette price elasticity of −1.227. The results of the simulated analysis showed that a rise of 10% in cigarette price would significantly reduce cigarette consumption as well the total death toll caused by smoking in all the observed countries, but would be most effective in Bulgaria and Romania, followed by Latvia and Poland. Additionally, an increase in the number of MPOWER tobacco control policies at the highest level of achievment would help reduce cigarette consumption. Conclusions It is recommended that all EU countries levy higher tobacco taxes to increase cigarette prices, and thus in effect reduce cigarette consumption. The subsequent increase in tobacco tax revenues would be instrumental in covering expenditures related to tobacco prevention and control programs.