Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/202746 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2019
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 12400
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Studies examining the introduction of pictorial warnings on cigarette packages provide inconclusive evidence due to small samples and methodological issues. We use individual-level panel data from Australia to examine the association between pictorial warnings and smoking behaviour - prevalence, quitting, initiating and relapsing. The pictorial warnings were accompanied by a reference to a smoking cessation helpline and supportive television commercials. Applying an event study framework, we show that the reform reduced smoking rates by around 4% within the first year of the policy. The effect decreases with age, is similar for men and women, and is slightly larger for low-educated compared to high-educated individuals. The reform permanently lowered smoking rates primarily due to increased quitting in the year of the reform. Thus, pictorial warnings combined with a reference to a smoking cessation helpline and supportive media campaigns are an important tobacco control measure to reduce the social costs of smoking.
Subjects: 
pictorial warnings
smoking
cessation
smoking initiation
smoking relapse
JEL: 
I12
I14
I18
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
512.98 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.