摘要：To determine the effect of prices and regulations on youth cigar demand, we estimated logistic regression models of the probability of current cigar smoking among students in grades 6 to 12 with data from the 1999 and 2000 waves of the National Youth Tobacco Survey. We found that youth cigar demand is sensitive to price but not state tobacco-control regulations. The results suggested that raising excise taxes on cigars could reduce cigar use prevalence among youths. Reducing tobacco use among youths is an important public policy goal. In working toward this goal, policymakers typically have focused on cigarettes rather than the full range of tobacco products. For example, the surgeon general’s 1994 report, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People, 1 does not even list cigars in the report’s index. The focus on cigarettes is understandable given that they are the most common tobacco product used by youths. 2 , 3 However, the prevalence rates for use of tobacco products other than cigarettes are not trivial, particularly for cigars. Recent estimates indicate that 15% of high-school students and 7% of middle-school students report current cigar use. 3 Moreover, the use of cigars can lead to devastating health effects, similar to those associated with cigarette smoking. 4 , 5 (Regular cigar use causes cancer of the lung, oral cavity, larynx, and esophagus. 5 Moreover, heavy cigar smokers and those who inhale deeply face elevated risks of coronary heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 5 ) Much like policymakers, researchers have focused their efforts on understanding cigarette demand among youths. Although an extensive literature is available concerning the effect of public policies on youth cigarette smoking behavior (for a summary of this literature, please see Jacobson et al. 2001 6 ), very little research has examined the determinants of youth cigar demand. In fact, to our knowledge, this brief is the first to estimate the effects of tobacco prices and regulations on the prevalence of cigar use among adolescents.
