A recent study suggests that a $1 increase in e-cigarette taxation could result in more young adults in their early 20s picking up smoking.
Researchers at Georgia State University in Atlanta discovered that increasing the price of e-cigarettes led to a 3.7% increase in the number of adolescents who smoked after the increase was imposed.
The results were interpreted as evidence that cigarette and e-cigarette taxes should be increased simultaneously to prevent youth from switching to “more harmful” cigarettes. They also noted that the early 20s are a time when many individuals transition from “experimental” to “daily” nicotine use.
Thirty American states and the District of Columbia have already taxed e-cigarettes to deter more youths from using them. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also pushing down on brands that are said to have contributed to the increase in nicotine use among young individuals.
In the study, which was published in the journal Addiction, researchers examined data from the Current Population Survey, a monthly survey of U.S. households performed by census officials.
They examined the number of 18- to 25-year-olds who reported smoking or vaping in each state from 2010 to 2019.
Results showed that a $1 per milliliter increase in vaping taxes led to a 2.5% decrease in vaping within the age group. However, it also led to a 3.7% increase in the number of people who began smoking.
Similarly, a $1 increase in cigarette taxes resulted in a 2.5% decline in smoking but a 100% increase in e-cigarette use.
Dr. Abigail Friedman, an associate professor of public health at Yale School of Public Health and the study’s principal investigator, cautioned that some adolescents were altering their nicotine consumption owing to price.
She stated, “Anyone imposing a tax on one cigarette or nicotine product must also consider the tax rates on the others.”
People are swapping between products, and if you raise the price of one, a portion of them will switch to a less-priced alternative, even if they do not like it as much.
It is vital from a public health standpoint that the less-priced choice is likewise less dangerous.
In their report, the researchers cautioned that cigarettes are more dangerous than vaping devices, implying that it would be detrimental to the nation’s health if vapes were more expensive.
According to studies, the presence of more toxic chemicals, such as tar, in cigarette smoke increases the likelihood of developing diseases such as cancer later in life.
In addition, the study indicated that individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 were three times more sensitive to price changes than older adults, making them more inclined to transfer between products.
Approximately 8.1 million American adults, or six percent, use e-cigarettes annually, according to estimates, but the rate is three times higher among those under 25.
Comparatively, 12 percent of the population, or 30 million individuals, smoke annually in the United States.
Generally, cigarette taxes are greater than e-cigarette taxes, however, this varies by state.
Currently, cigarettes are subject to a federal tax of $1 per pack, with each state imposing its additional fees. At $6 per pack, Chicago, Illinois has the highest price.
However, there is currently no nationwide tax on e-cigarettes. Currently, thirty states apply their different tax rates, which are either on the wholesale price or per container. The highest wholesale tax rate is 95 percent in Minnesota, while the highest per container is $1.50 in Kentucky.
Last week, a study from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland reported that overall e-cigarette use decreased by seven percent in 2020 compared to two years prior.
When the data was broken down by age category, it was shown that individuals under the age of 20 experienced the greatest decline, 17 percent during the period.
Since December 2019, it has been prohibited for this age group to purchase tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Historically, the minimum age was 18 years.
