The impact of prices and taxes on the use of tobacco products in latin america and the caribbean

G. Emmanuel Guindon, Guillermo R. Paraje, Frank J. Chaloupka

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

57 Scopus citations

Abstract

We examined the impact of tobacco prices or taxes on tobacco use in Latin America and Caribbean countries. We searched MEDLINE, EconLit, LILACS, unpublished literature, 6 specialty journals, and reviewed references.We calculated pooled price elasticities using random-effects models.

The 32 studiesweexamined foundthat cigarette priceshave a negative and statistically significant effect on cigarette consumption. A change in price is associatedwith a less than proportional change in the quantity of cigarettes demanded. In mostLatinAmericancountries, own-price elasticity for cigarettes is likely below-0.5 (pooled elasticities, shortrun:-0.31; 95% confidence interval =-0.39,-0.24; longrun:-0.43;95%CI=-0.51,-0.35).

Tax increases effectively reduce cigarette use. Lack of studies using household-or individual-level data limits research's policy relevance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)e9-e19
JournalAmerican Journal of Public Health
Volume105
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Mar 2015

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