Epidemiol Health.  2020;42(1):e2020054. 10.4178/epih.e2020054.

Impact of simulated cigarette excise tax increase on its consumption in Iran

• Raei B
• Emamgholipour S
• Takian A
• Yaseri M
• Abdoli G

• KMID: 2512760
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2020054

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To assess the impact of a simulated tax-induced cigarette price increase on its consumption by different expenditure clusters in Iran.
METHODS
Employing consecutive cross sections for cigarette consumption, a two-part model was applied for different expenditure groups.
RESULTS
A 75% price increase in cigarettes noticeably— as is common in some countries with strong tobacco control policies—reduces current consumption in all five social classes, causing nearly 8% of current male smokers to quit or not to start.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings of the current study suggest that Iranian policy makers go through to implement tobacco taxation policies to control smoking prevalence, which in turn might lead to a reduction in national healthcare expenditures as well as enhance the global community’s capacity to meet Sustainable Development Goals.

Keyword

Smoking; Cigarette; Taxes; Elasticity; Iran