Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/33671 
Year of Publication: 
2005
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 1737
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This paper describes the dynamics of smoking behaviour in Australia and investigates what role smoking ban regulation has, if any, on individual level smoking patterns. The main argument to motivate the introduction of tougher smoking bans is the effect of second hand smoke on non-smokers. From a public policy perspective it is important to know if these policies also affect if a person smokes, or if they only influence when and where people smoke. We use data that tracks individual smoking behaviour over the period 2001 to 2003 during which separate smoking ban initiatives in Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory came into effect. We exploit this variation over time and across states as a natural experiment to assess the impact of tougher smoking regulations. Our findings indicate that the introduction of smoking ban regulations on individuals' smoking behaviour has the expected sign but is not significant for most types of individuals. Interestingly, we do find a significant 'rebellion' effect amongst 18 to 24 year old smokers, with the introduction of smoking bans found to increase the likelihood that they continue to smoke.
Subjects: 
smoking
evaluation
transitions
JEL: 
C33
C35
I12
I18
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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