United States: Young adults support tobacco price hikes

An online survey conducted by Truth Initiative[1] A survey of 2,800 adults aged 18 to 64 found that 60% of respondents support political efforts to increase tobacco prices, particularly among young adults and those in precarious situations.

The study results indicate strong support for public policies that increase retail prices of tobacco products. This support is also evident among groups most sensitive to tax policies. [2]-[3] : young adults and low-income people. More than half of adults supported banning point-of-sale promotions with the options of coupons (58.9%) or discount when purchasing multiple packages (58.9%). Even more people supported the introduction of an additional federal tax of 1$ per pack of cigarettes (67.5%), of an environmental tax of 0.75$ on waste produced by the tobacco industry (72.2%) and the introduction ofa floor price for cigarette packets (62,1%).

The youngest age groups in the sample (18 to 24 years old) are more numerous in supporting policies to increase taxes on tobacco products. Young adults are in fact on average 70% in favour of such measures compared to 60% among those aged 45 and over.

In general, young people have lower levels of disposable income and are less likely to start smoking or using tobacco as prices rise, meaning they are more sensitive to price changes than older populations. Health economists have estimated that increasing the pack size of cigarettes to $10 throughout the United States[4] would reduce the number of smokers among young people aged 12 to 25 by 4.8 million.

The US Surgeon General recommends that cigarette packs be sold at a minimum price of $101, but the national average price of a pack of cigarettes, including tax, is $7.05[5]. Purchase prices are often much lower due to the huge amounts of money tobacco companies spend on their price reduction marketing strategies through promotional offers of discount coupons and rebates when purchasing multiple packs. In 2019, tobacco companies spent $92% of their marketing budget - or $7.73 billion - on these strategies.[6].

Keywords: United States, Taxation, Taxes©Tobacco Free Generation

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[1] Report, The price is not right, Truth Initiative, October 13, 2020, accessed October 19, 2020[2] McLaughlin I, Pearson A, Laird-Metke E, Ribisl K. Reducing tobacco use and access through strengthened minimum price laws. American Journal of Public Health. 2014;104(10):1844-1850.[3] Wang TW, Falvey K, Gammon DG, et al. Sales trends in price-discounted cigarettes, large cigars, little cigars, and cigarillos-United States, 2011-2016. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2018;20(11):1401-1406.[4] US Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking - 50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health,;2014.[5] Boonn A. State Excise and Sales Taxes per Pack of Cigarettes: Total Amounts & State Rankings. Washington, DC: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids,;2020.[6] Federal Trade Commission. Cigarette Report for 2018. 2019National Committee Against Smoking |