Adult smokers are sensitive to the price of tobacco

Tobacco price increases lead to an increased likelihood of quitting. Despite popular belief, adult smokers are sensitive to tobacco taxation, even more so than adolescents (DeCicca et al. 2008).

Article 6 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control presents tax measures as a means of reducing demand for tobacco. This is called behavioral taxation, defined as "a set of taxes whose purpose is to influence the behavior of consumers to divert them from practices deemed harmful to their well-being" (PY Cusset, 2013).

Mature adult smokers (aged 45–59) are sensitive to tobacco prices. According to DeCicca and McLeod (2008), an increase in the excise tax on a pack of cigarettes of $1 leads to a decrease in daily smoking by 1 to 1.5% in this age group. According to the authors, this represents a decrease in smoking prevalence of 6 to 8%.

Behavioural taxes help reduce the level of consumption of a harmful product. They are one of the effective levers according to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.