Tobacco Price Increases Research Articles

Investigating the Relationship Between Cultural, Social, Political, and Economic Factors With Hookah Smoking in Iran Adolescents

Background: Tobacco consumption, especially hookah, is one of the major behavioral health problems that has been more prevalent among young people and adolescents in recent years. Therefore, identifying the influential factors in tobacco consumption is essential for planning preventive measures. This study investigates the relationship between cultural, social, political, and economic factors with hookah smoking in Iranian adolescents. Materials and Methods: The present research is a systematic review study, which was conducted by examining data through PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, Ovid, Magiran, SID, Science, Cochrane Medlib, and Medex Iran databases between 2000-2024 using the keywords hookah, tobacco, cultural, the teenager has been collected. In the initial search, 500 articles were retrieved, which were then screened at different stages (removing duplicate articles [300], reviewing titles and abstracts [170], and full-text [13]). Finally, 17 papers that passed the researchers’ criteria were reviewed carefully. Results: The results of the studies showed that various factors influence hookah consumption among adolescents, which were divided into social, economic, political, cultural, and psychological factors. Numerous factors influence adolescents’ inclination toward hookah consumption, with the most important ones being planned advertisements, incorrect knowledge, and attitudes about the harms of hookah, easy and affordable access, sensory attractions, peer encouragement, cultural acceptance of hookah, and a means to fill leisure time. Conclusion: It is recommended to focus on promoting culture and increasing awareness, effective advertising, increasing leisure-time activities for adolescents, enforcing laws prohibiting hookah use in public places, increasing tobacco prices, and enhancing recreational facilities.

Changes in Pack Features Among Top-Selling Cigarettes in the U.S., 2018 and 2021

Cigarette packaging is designed to increase consumer appeal and remains a primary promotional tool in many countries, including the U.S. This study documented changes in the prevalence of pack characteristics among the top-selling cigarette products in the U.S. in 2018 and 2021. The 50 cigarette packs with the highest national unit sales in U.S. convenience stores in 2018 and 2021 were identified using Nielsen's Scantrack data and subsequently purchased. Packs were coded for features such as dominant color(s), descriptive text, and promotional language. Descriptive analyses conducted in 2022 weighted by total annual unit sales compared the prevalence of pack characteristics between years. Three brands-Marlboro, Newport, and Camel-constituted over 80% of pack sales among the top-selling products. Packs with red as a dominant color grew less popular between years (33.3% vs 29.5%), whereas those with green became more prevalent (25.2% vs 28.9%), consistent with a rise in the proportion of menthol sales. The prevalence of descriptors such as flavor and fresh decreased from 46.0% to 39.4% and 9.7% to 5.2%, respectively. Meanwhile, the prevalence of promotional language (e.g., rewards programs) increased from 60.9% to 69.0%. The use of visual and named colors remains common, which can implicitly communicate sensory or health-related attributes. Moreover, promotions may help recruit and retain consumers in the context of more restrictive tobacco control policies and price increases. Given the strong influence that cigarette packaging exerts on consumers, packaging-focused policies, such as plain packaging laws, may reduce appeal and accelerate declines in cigarette use.

Tobacco Product Use Among Adults – United States, 2021

Commercial cigarette smoking among U.S. adults has declined during the preceding 5 decades (1,2); however, tobacco product use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, and some populations continue to be disproportionately affected by tobacco use (1,2). To assess recent national estimates of commercial tobacco use among U.S. persons aged ≥18 years, CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Cancer Institute analyzed 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. In 2021, an estimated 46 million U.S. adults (18.7%) reported currently using any tobacco product, including cigarettes (11.5%), e-cigarettes (4.5%), cigars (3.5%), smokeless tobacco (2.1%), and pipes (including hookah)* (0.9%).† Among those who used tobacco products, 77.5% reported using combustible products (cigarettes, cigars, or pipes), and 18.1% reported using two or more tobacco products.§ The prevalence of current use of any tobacco product use was higher among the following groups: men; persons aged <65 years; persons of non-Hispanic other races; non-Hispanic White (White) persons¶; residents of rural (nonmetropolitan) areas; financially disadvantaged (income-to-poverty ratio=0-1.99); lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) persons; those uninsured or enrolled in Medicaid; adults whose highest level of education was a general educational development (GED) certificate; who had a disability; and who had serious psychological distress. Continued surveillance of tobacco product use, implementation of evidence-based tobacco control strategies (e.g., hard-hitting media campaigns, smoke-free policies, and tobacco price increases), conducting linguistically and culturally appropriate educational campaigns, and FDA regulation of tobacco products will aid in reducing tobacco-related disease, death, and disparities among U.S. adults (3,4).

Stepwise Tobacco Price Increase and Smoking Behavioral Changes in Japan: The Japan "Society and New Tobacco" Internet Survey 2017-2021 Longitudinal Study.

Tobacco price increase is an effective measure to reduce tobacco smoking. In Japan, the price of combustible cigarettes increased in 2018 and 2020, and that of heated tobacco products increased every year from 2018 to 2020 by tobacco excise taxation. Also, the general consumption tax increase in 2019 slightly raised the retail prices of tobacco products. We investigated the impact of this stepwise tobacco price increase on combustible cigarette smoking status among Japanese adults. Five waves of annual longitudinal data (2017-2021) from The Japan "Society and New Tobacco" Internet Survey (JASTIS) (31 930 observations of 11 896 individuals) were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression with a generalized estimating equation was fitted, adjusting for the prefecture of residence, age, sex, socioeconomic status, health status, alcohol drinking, former smoker's duration of smoking cessation, and the current smoker's number of cigarettes smoked per day. The 2018 price increase was associated with a reduction in relapse (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42-0.68) and an increment in cessation (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.02-1.42). The price increase in 2019 was not associated with relapse (aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.63-1.10) or cessation (aOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.80-1.13). The 2020 price increase was associated with a reduction in relapse (aOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.42-0.81) and an increment in cessation (aOR 1.45, 95% CI-1.21, 1.73). The price increase caused by tobacco excise taxation was associated with a reduction in combustible cigarette smoking. Japan introduced a policy of stepwise increase in tobacco excise taxation in 2018. We analyzed five-wave longitudinal data to investigate the impact of the policy. Tobacco price increases in 2018 and 2020 were associated with a reduction in combustible cigarette smoking. Tobacco price increases in 2019 by general consumption tax were not associated with a change in combustible cigarette smoking.

Understanding the Profitability, Supply, and Input Demand of Tobacco Farms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Several studies investigate the various aspects of tobacco at the processing and cigarette manufacturing levels, but the profitability, supply response, and input demand of tobacco farms in Pakistan remain unknown. Our study fills this gap by examining farm-level profitability, input demand, and output supply using survey data of 140 tobacco farms by employing a profit function approach. The results show that tobacco production is not very lucrative at the farm level and farmers are responsive to changes in market prices for the inputs and output. The price of tobacco is the most important determinant of the output supply and demand for inputs, and farmers’ response to increasing tobacco prices is positive but inelastic in the study area. The use of variable inputs such as fertilizers, labor, mechanical power, pesticides, and farmyard manure is important in resource allocation decisions in tobacco production. As a result, a price increase for green tobacco leaves would significantly increase the demand for farm inputs such as fertilizers, labor, mechanical power, pesticides, and farmyard manure. Tobacco production is negatively affected by the increasing input prices in the study area. Among the fixed factors, land area has a significant impact on tobacco productivity in the province. The present study is the first to quantify the farm-level input demand and output supply; therefore, based on the findings, the increasing tobacco production requires higher output prices and reasonable input prices.

Smoking-related behaviour changes among Korean men after the 2015 tobacco price increase: assessing the implications for the tobacco endgame using a reconstructed retrospective cohort study

ObjectivesTo examine the effect of Korea’s 2015 tax policy, discuss its effectiveness and limitations and present future directions for tax policy in the context of the tobacco endgame.DesignA retrospectively reconstructed...

Price elasticity of demand for cigarettes among youths in high-income countries: a systematic review.

Aims: Smoking in youth remains a major public health issue. As increasing tobacco prices is considered one of the most effective prevention strategies, examining youth's responsiveness to price changes on cigarettes will provide crucial knowledge. This study aims systematically to review research examining the price elasticity of demand for cigarettes among youths (<30 years of age) in high-income countries. Methods: Searches were conducted in three databases (Web of Science, Pubmed and Scopus). Inclusion criteria were publications within the past 10 years (2011-2021) written in English and with a population of youths below 30 years of age, concerning price elasticity of demand for cigarettes and from high-income countries. Searches were screened by two independent reviewers and the quality of studies was assessed using a quality assessment tool. Results: Four outcomes related to price elasticity of demand for cigarettes were examined in six studies included in this review; that is, cigarette initiation, consumption, prevalence and cessation. Overall, findings indicate that increasing tobacco prices affect youth tobacco use. The effect was associated with gender and age; young women were more price sensitive concerning smoking initiation, whereas young men were more price sensitive concerning cigarette prevalence and consumption. Moreover, younger age was associated with higher price elasticity. Conclusions: Estimates for price elasticity varied across the included studies. This may be caused by differences in data sources, collection methods used and country of origin. Most included studies were of older date. Therefore, to make reliable predictions of the expected effects of increased tobacco prices, further examinations of up-to-date and locally embedded measures are required.

The Estimated Effect of Physicians' Advice for Smoking Cessation and Assumed Tobacco Retail Price Increase on Smoker's Intention to Quit in Shanghai, China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Tobacco consumption produces a heavy disease burden worldwide, and tobacco price increase, an advertisement for tobacco-induced harm, graphic warning labels on cigarette packages and advice of physicians for quitting are policies that have been proved as effective smoking cessation measures. But evidence on the estimated effect of advice of physicians for quitting and assumed tobacco retail price increase on smoking cessation intention among smokers is still limited in China.Methods: From January to April of 2021, we recruited 664 current smokers in Songjiang district of Shanghai by a multistage sampling design. We implemented a logistic regression analysis to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to explore how smoking cessation intention would be influenced by the assumed tobacco retail price increase as well as advice of physicians for quitting, and used the paired tabulation method to identify the salient tobacco control measures among smokers as well.Results: A total of 664 current smokers included 548 males (82.53%), with an average smoking duration of 22.50 years (SD: 11.52 years). About 68.79 and 43.67% of current smokers reported smoking cessation intention due to advice of physicians for quitting and the assumed tobacco retail price increase, respectively. Logistic regression analysis indicated that female smokers (OR = 2.85 and 4.55), smokers with previous smoking cessation attempt (OR = 3.71 and 3.07), longer smoking duration (OR = 2.26 and 2.68), lower smoking intensity (OR = 1.82 and 1.69), and heavier tobacco burdens (OR = 1.67 and 2.22) had the higher intention of smoking cessation both due to advice of physicians for quitting and due to assumed tobacco price increase, respectively. Meanwhile, the advice of physicians for quitting was more effective and acceptable (over 80%) than the assumed tobacco price increase for inducing smokers to consider quitting in Shanghai.Conclusions: Smokers have a high intention of smoking cessation in Shanghai, and the advice of physicians for quitting is a potentially more salient tobacco control measure than the assumed tobacco retail price increase. Incorporating smoking duration, intensity, personal burden as well as noncommunicable disease (NCD) status of smokers into the implementation of tobacco control measures is beneficial for descending smoking prevalence.

Health impact assessment to predict the impact of tobacco price increases on COPD burden in Italy, England and Sweden

Raising tobacco prices effectively reduces smoking, the main risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Using the Health Impact Assessment tool “DYNAMO-HIA”, this study quantified the reduction in COPD burden that would occur in Italy, England and Sweden over 40 years if tobacco prices were increased by 5%, 10% and 20% over current local prices, with larger increases considered in secondary analyses. A dynamic Markov-based multi-state simulation modelling approach estimated the effect of changes in smoking prevalence states and probabilities of transitioning between smoking states on future smoking prevalence, COPD burden and life expectancy in each country. Data inputs included demographics, smoking prevalences and behaviour and COPD burden from national data resources, large observational cohorts and datasets within DYNAMO-HIA. In the 20% price increase scenario, the cumulative number of COPD incident cases saved over 40 years was 479,059 and 479,302 in Italy and England (populous countries with higher smoking prevalences) and 83,694 in Sweden (smaller country with lower smoking prevalence). Gains in overall life expectancy ranged from 0.25 to 0.45 years for a 20 year-old. Increasing tobacco prices would reduce COPD burden and increase life expectancy through smoking behavior changes, with modest but important public health benefits observed in all three countries.

Tobacco price increase and consumption behaviour among male smokers in Saudi Arabia: a community-based study.

Saudi Arabia doubled its tobacco tax in June 2017. To examine the association between an increase in tobacco prices and consumption behaviour among current male smokers in Riyadh. We conducted a community-based study using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to current male smokers aged 15+ years in Riyadh in 2018. The survey included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, tobacco consumption and self-reported chronic health conditions. A total of 1481 participants were included in the final data analysis. After the tobacco tax was doubled, 25.6% of the participants reduced their cigarette consumption and 1.0% quit smoking. The average daily cigarette consumption after enforcing the tobacco tax [19.77, standard deviation (SD) 10.7], was statistically significantly lower than before taxation (21.19, SD 10.8) (P < 0.0001). The calculated price elasticity of demand was -0.20 (inelastic). Employment status (P = 0.002) and per capita gross domestic product purchasing power parity (P = 0.001) were the only statistically significant factors associated with the change in smoking habits. Increasing tobacco prices reduced tobacco consumption by 26.6% among Saudi Arabian male smokers.

Tobacco Product Use Among Adults - United States, 2019.

Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States (1). The prevalence of current cigarette smoking among U.S. adults has declined over the past several decades, with a prevalence of 13.7% in 2018 (2). However, a variety of combustible, noncombustible, and electronic tobacco products are available in the United States (1,3). To assess recent national estimates of tobacco product use among U.S. adults aged ≥18 years, CDC analyzed data from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). In 2019, an estimated 50.6 million U.S. adults (20.8%) reported currently using any tobacco product, including cigarettes (14.0%), e-cigarettes (4.5%), cigars (3.6%), smokeless tobacco (2.4%), and pipes* (1.0%).† Most current tobacco product users (80.5%) reported using combustible products (cigarettes, cigars, or pipes), and 18.6% reported using two or more tobacco products.§ The prevalence of any current tobacco product use was higher among males; adults aged ≤65 years; non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults; those whose highest level of educational attainment was a General Educational Development (GED) certificate; those with an annual household income <$35,000; lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) adults; uninsured adults and those with Medicaid; those with a disability; or those with mild, moderate, or severe generalized anxiety disorder. E-cigarette use was highest among adults aged 18-24 years (9.3%), with over half (56.0%) of these young adults reporting that they had never smoked cigarettes. Implementing comprehensive, evidence-based, population level interventions (e.g., tobacco price increases, comprehensive smoke-free policies, high-impact antitobacco media campaigns, and barrier-free cessation coverage), in coordination with regulation of the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of all tobacco products, can reduce tobacco-related disease and death in the United States (1,4). As part of a comprehensive approach, targeted interventions are also warranted to reach subpopulations with the highest prevalence of use, which might vary by tobacco product type.

Tobacco Price Increase and Successful Smoking Cessation for Two or More Years in Japan.

Assessing long-term smoking cessation after tobacco price increases is more valuable than short-term cessation as smokers often relapse after temporary cessation. We investigated whether tobacco price increases were associated with long-term smoking cessation and whether the association differed according to demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors, using a national longitudinal survey of middle-aged individual-level data from 10 waves, every November from 2005 to 2014. Temporary and long-term at least 1 year (1y+) or 2 years (2y+) quitters were defined by smoking in any one wave and quitting in the subsequent two or three waves in a discrete-time design. November 2006 (after July 11% increase) and November 2010 (after October 37% increase) were used as proxy variables for price increases. Generalized estimating equation models adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral covariates, and analyses stratified by these covariates were performed to estimate the association between price increases and smoking cessation. Of 43 630 smokers aged 50-65, 7.7%, 5.6%, and 5.2% of smokers quit temporarily, for at least 1 year and at least 2 years, respectively. 2y+ quitters significantly increased in November 2005-November 2008 (adjusted odds ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.43) and November 2009-November 2012 (adjusted odds ratio = 1.85, 95% confidence interval = 1.57-2.16). In stratified analyses, higher prices were associated with 2y+ quitters in all subgroups with some exceptions, including participants who smoked 21-30 cigarettes per day and those aged 60-65. Increasing tobacco prices may be effective in promoting long-term smoking cessation in various subgroups among middle-aged Japanese adults. Few longitudinal studies have examined the effect of a tobacco price increase on long-term smoking cessation. In a national longitudinal survey of middle-aged Japanese from 10 waves, the 37% tobacco price increase was found to be a trigger for successful smoking cessation for two or more years. Price increases were significantly associated with 2y+ smoking cessation in most demographic, behavioral, and socioeconomic subgroups. Results indicate that higher tobacco prices may be effective for long-term smoking cessation in almost all subgroups. Raising tobacco taxes and prices may be one of the most effective strategies for promoting long-term smoking cessation.

Estimating future smoking in Danish youth - effects of three prevention strategies.

Aims: Preventing smoking and aiding cessation among youth and young adults carries the possibility of reducing future smoking prevalence significantly. This paper estimates the impact on future smoking prevalence of 25 year olds by increasing tobacco prices, securing indoor smoke-free homes and implementing school-based multi-tiered interventions. Methods: Utilizing a multi-state Markov model, a status quo projection of the smoking prevalence from years 2017 to 2030 were compared with projections of the smoking prevalence in 2030 considering the impact of the three prevention strategies. Results: In a status quo projection, 27.0% of Danish 25-year-old females are expected to be smokers in 2030, while 13.2% would be smokers in 2030 were all three prevention strategies in effect from 2019. By itself, increasing tobacco prices by 50% reduced the prevalence of smokers among 25-year-old females to 14.8% in 2030, a relative reduction of 47.5%. For 25-year-old males in 2030 the reductions were similar, with a prevalence of 16.6% when all three prevention strategies were in effect, a relative reduction of 51.5%. Conclusions: Implementing increasing tobacco prices, indoor smoke-free homes and school-based multi-tiered interventions in Denmark is likely to significantly decrease youth smoking prevalence in the future. However, these three strategies will not produce a smoke-free generation without other initiatives.

Price, Income, and Affordability as the Determinants of Tobacco Consumption: A Practitioner's Guide to Tobacco Taxation.

IntroductionTobacco product prices and consumers’ income are the two major economic determinants of tobacco demand. The affordability of tobacco products is dependent on the price of tobacco products relative to consumer income. Increase in tobacco tax is expected to lead to higher price, lower affordability, and reduced consumption. Price elasticity and affordability elasticity are used in analyzing the effect of tobacco tax increases on tobacco consumption and public health. The availability of both parameters raises the question of which one to apply in policy discussions.Aims and MethodsUsing global data on cigarette consumption, price, income, and tobacco control measures for 169 countries over 2007–2016, this study estimated the price elasticity and affordability elasticity of cigarette consumption by country income classification using country-specific fixed effects model for panel data.ResultsThe estimates show that the restriction of equal strength of the effects of price and income changes on tobacco consumption maintained in affordability elasticity estimation is valid for low- and middle-income countries, while it is rejected for high-income countries.ConclusionsAffordability elasticity may prove to be a useful parameter to explain and predict the sensitivity of consumers to tobacco tax and price policy changes under conditions of robust economic growth, which are more likely to be observed in countries with initial low- or middle-income setting. It can provide a reasonable benchmark for tobacco tax and price increase necessary to effectively reduce affordability and consumption of tobacco, which can form a basis for building systematic tax and price increases into the tobacco tax policy mechanism.ImplicationsPrice elasticity measures the sensitivity of consumers to changes in real prices, holding real income constant. Affordability elasticity measures the sensitivity of consumers to price changes adjusted for inflation and income changes. Existing scientific literature on tobacco demand abounds in both price and affordability elasticity estimates, without providing a clear explanation of the theoretical and policy implications of using one parameter over the other. By estimating and comparing price and affordability elasticities for high-income and low-and-middle-income countries separately, this article offers a guide to the practitioners in tobacco taxation for evaluating the effectiveness of tax-induced price increases on tobacco consumption.

Effect of Increasing Tobacco Prices on Stages of Smoking Cessation: A Korean Nationwide Data Analysis.

BackgroundIn 2015, tobacco prices significantly increased in Korea as part of the government’s smoking cessation policy. This study examined the changes in the stages of smoking cessation among Korean male smokers before and after the implementation of the tobacco price policy, and identified the predictors of such changes.MethodsThe study population comprised 3,533 male current smokers (age ≥19 years) who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016. Current smokers were defined as persons who had smoked ≥100 cigarettes during their lifetime and are continuing to smoke. In accordance with the transtheoretical model, smokers were classified into the precontemplation stage (no plan to quit), contemplation stage, and preparation stage (planning to quit within 6 months). We examined the changes in the smoking cessation stages before and after the implementation of the policy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors related to the likelihood of continuing smoking, after adjustments for potential confounders.ResultsImmediately after the policy implementation, the percentage of smokers in the precontemplation stage decreased from 65.6% to 60.8% (P=0.014). However, this effect was temporary. Significant risk factors for remaining in the precontemplation stage were older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.010; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.002–1.018; P=0.004), being in the lowest income quartile (OR, 1.226; 95% CI, 1.001–1.502; P=0.049), and manual worker or unemployed status (OR, 1.256; 95% CI, 1.036–1523; P=0.020).ConclusionIncreasing tobacco prices only temporarily change the stage of smoking cessation among Korean male smokers.

Characteristics of a "rebound" in smoking after a tobacco price increase.

SETTING: In Korea, the price of a pack of cigarettes increased 80% from US$2.2 to US$4 in 2015. The smoking rate decreased in 2015. However, it rebounded in the following year.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the characteristics associated with this rebound in smoking rate following the price increase.DESIGN: We analysed the KNHANES (Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) data of 44 015 participants to evaluate current smoking rate and the proportion of smokers planning to quit within 6 months from 2010 to 2016. We also performed focused analysis of 18 303 participants between 2014 and 2016 KNHANES to determine the current smoking rate according to their demographic and socio-economic characteristics.RESULTS: Individuals who were older, female, unemployed, had a low household income or a shorter total smoking period, or smoked less per day were more likely to stop or reduce smoking after the price increase. The current smoking rate increased to 18.8% in 2016 from 17.7% in 2015; this difference was significant in men, those in the lower-middle quartile of household income, those with a middle-school or college education, and those who were employed.CONCLUSION: The rebound in smoking after the price increase was significantly related to the individual's sex, income, education and employment status.

Tobacco price increases in Korea and their impact on socioeconomic inequalities in smoking and subsequent socioeconomic inequalities in mortality: a modelling study

ObjectiveThrough a modelling study, we assessed the impact of tobacco price increases on smoking and smoking inequalities by income, and then quantified the subsequent effects on mortality and inequalities in...

Relationships between smoking duration, smoking intensity, hypothetical tobacco price increases, and smoking habit change intention among current smokers in Shanghai.

ObjectivesWe conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the effect of a hypothetical tobacco retail price increase on smoking habit change intention, and the role of smoking duration and intensity in smoking change intention.MethodsIn 2016 and 2017, we collected questionnaire data from 36,698 residents aged over 18 years in Songjiang district, Shanghai. Chi-square tests and weighted logistic regression were used for data analyses.ResultsThe prevalence of current smoking was 19.78% (men: 48.36% and women: 0.22%). A total of 10.83% (men: 10.89% and women: 2.04%) and 9.39% of smokers (men: 9.42% and women: 6.12%) expressed the intention to smoke less or quit, respectively, given tobacco retail price increases. If the current tobacco retail price doubled, 75% of smokers stated that they would smoke less and 60% of smokers would consider quitting. Smokers with longer smoking duration and lower smoking intensity were more sensitive to tobacco price increases and more likely to change their smoking habits.ConclusionsAn increase in tobacco retail prices could induce some smokers to change their smoking behavior, particularly those with longer smoking duration and lower smoking intensity. A tobacco retail price increase is recommended, which should apply to all cigarette brands.

Smoking cessation behaviors among older U.S. adults.

Smoking cessation is a critical component of cancer prevention among older adults (age ≥ 65 years). Understanding smoking cessation behaviors among older adults can inform clinical and community efforts to increase successful cessation. We provide current, national prevalence estimates for smoking cessation behaviors among older adults, including interest in quitting, quitting attempts, quitting successes, receiving advice to quit from a healthcare provider, and use of evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments. The 2015 National Health Interview Survey and Cancer Control Supplement were used to estimate cigarette smoking status and cessation behaviors among older US adults across selected socio-demographic and health characteristics. We found that four in five older adults who had ever smoked cigarettes had quit and more than half who currently smoked were interested in quitting but fewer than half made a past-year quit attempt. Two-thirds of older adults said that a healthcare provider advised them to quit smoking, but just over one-third who tried to quit used evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments and only one in 20 successfully quit in the past year. Prevalence estimates for smoking cessation behaviors were similar across most characteristics. Our study demonstrates that few older adults, across most levels of characteristics examined, successfully quit smoking, underscoring the importance of assisting smoking cessation efforts. Healthcare providers can help older adults quit smoking by offering or referring evidence-based cessation treatments. States and communities can implement population-based interventions including tobacco price increases, comprehensive smoke-free policies, high-impact tobacco education media campaigns, and barrier-free access to evidence-based tobacco cessation counseling and medications.

Visualizing data: Trends in smoking tobacco prices and taxes in India

Background : Tobacco smoking remains a leading risk factor for disease burden globally. In India alone, about 1 million deaths are caused annually by smoking. Although increasing tobacco prices has consistently been found to be the most effective intervention to reduce tobacco use, the documentation of prices and taxes across time and space has not been an essential component of tobacco control surveillance in most jurisdictions. This study aimed to examine, using graphical methods, trends in smoking tobacco taxes and prices in India at national and state-level. Methods : We used retail prices, price indices, and unit values (household expenditures on a commodity divided by the quantity purchased) collected and reported by government agencies. For bidis and cigarettes, we examined current and real (inflation-adjusted) prices, affordability (cost in terms of income), and key tax changes at both national and state-level. Results : We show that real prices of bidis and cigarettes were relatively flat (even decreasing in the case of bidis) between 2000 and 2007, and clearly increasing from 2010. When rising income is taken into account, however, both cigarettes and bidis have become more affordable since 2000. We found that some but not all tax changes were accompanied by price changes and in particular, that tax decreases did not result in price decreases. Conclusion : It is feasible to evaluate tax and price policies at national and regional level using routinely collected data.