Raising Taxes to Reduce Smoking Prevalence in the US: a Simulation of the Anticipated Health and Economic Impacts

Overview

Journal Public Health

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Public Health

Date 2007 Jul 6

PMID 17610918

Citations 29

Authors

Sajjad Ahmad

Gregor A Franz

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate health and economic outcomes of raising the excise taxes on cigarettes.

Methods: We use a dynamic computer simulation model to estimate health and economic impacts of raising taxes on cigarettes (up to 100% price increase) for the entire population of the USA over 20 years. We also perform sensitivity analysis on price elasticity.

Results: A 40% tax-induced cigarette price increase would reduce smoking prevalence from 21% in 2004 to 15.2% in 2025 with large gains in cumulative life years (7 million) and quality adjusted life years (13 million) over 20 years. Total tax revenue will increase by $365 billion in that span, and total smoking-related medical costs would drop by $317 billion, resulting in total savings of $682 billion. These benefits increase greatly with larger tax increases, and tax revenues continue to rise even as smoking prevalence falls.

Conclusions: Increasing taxes on cigarettes is a unique policy intervention that reduces smoking prevalence, generates additional tax revenue, and results in significant savings in medical care costs.

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