Tobacco Price Increase and Smoking Cessation in Japan, a Developed Country With Affordable Tobacco: A National Population-Based Observational Study.

Takahiro Tabuchi,Hideaki Tsukuma,Isao Miyashiro,Masakazu Nakamura,Tomio Nakayama,Jun-Ichiro Mori

doi:10.2188/jea.je20140183

Abstract

BackgroundLongitudinal assessment of the impact of tobacco price on smoking cessation is scarce. Our objective was to investigate the effect of a price increase in October 2010 on cessation rates according to gender, age, socioeconomic status, and level of tobacco dependence in Japan.MethodsWe used longitudinal data linkage of two nationally representative studies and followed 2702 smokers for assessment of their cessation status. The odds ratios (ORs) for cessation were calculated using logistic regression. To estimate the impact of the 2010 tobacco price increase on cessation, data from 2007 were used as a reference category.ResultsOverall cessation rates significantly increased from 2007 to 2010, from 3.7% to 10.7% for men and from 9.9% to 16.3% for women. Cessation rates were 9.3% for men who smoked 1–10 cigarettes per day, 2.7% for men who smoked 11–20 cigarettes per day, and 2.0% for men who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day in 2007. These rates increased to 15.5%, 10.0%, and 8.0%, respectively, in 2010. The impact was stronger among subjects who smoked more than 11 cigarettes per day than those who smoked 1–10 cigarettes per day in both sexes: ORs for 2010 were 4.04 for those smoking 11–20 cigarettes per day, 4.26 for those smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day, and 1.80 for those smoking 1–10 cigarettes per day in the main model in men. There were no obvious differences in the relationship between tobacco price increase and smoking cessation across age and household expenditure groups.ConclusionsThe tobacco price increase in Japan had a significant impact on smoking cessation in both sexes, especially among heavy smokers, with no clear difference in effect by socio-demographic status.

Highlights

Assessment of the impact of tobacco price increases on changes in smoking behaviors in different social groups is a priority in health policy research.[1,2] Tobacco taxation has been considered the best practice for reducing population tobacco use and inherent smoking inequality.[3,4] From a population health perspective,[5] a population-based intervention, such as a countrywide tobacco price increase, is expected to affect not the only the affluent population and high-risk and vulnerable populations
Our objective was to investigate the impact of tobacco price increases on rates of smoking cessation according to and adjusted for different variables, such as gender, age, socioeconomic status and level of tobacco dependence, in Japan, a developed country with affordable tobacco.[10]
Smoking cessation rates were 9.3% for men who smoked 1–10 cigarettes per day, 2.7% for men who smoked 11–20 cigarettes per day, and 2.0% for men who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day in 2007; these rates increased to 15.5%, 10.0%, and 8.0%, respectively, in 2010

Summary

Introduction

Assessment of the impact of tobacco price increases on changes in smoking behaviors in different social groups is a priority in health policy research.[1,2] Tobacco taxation (generally accompanying a price increase for tobacco products) has been considered the best practice for reducing population tobacco use and inherent smoking inequality.[3,4] From a population health perspective,[5] a population-based intervention, such as a countrywide tobacco price increase, is expected to affect not the only the affluent population and high-risk and vulnerable populations. Previous studies have shown that tobacco price increases reduce tobacco use and smoking inequality because they have a stronger influence on the poor and the young than the affluent and the old in developed countries, such as the United States, Scotland, and Australia.[4] mixed results were reported for differences in age, gender, and education.[2,6] a high rate of tobacco dependence has been shown to strongly predict low rates of smoking behavior change, including smoking cessation.[7]. Conclusions: The tobacco price increase in Japan had a significant impact on smoking cessation in both sexes, especially among heavy smokers, with no clear difference in effect by socio-demographic status

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