Full Citation
Title: Do Local Tobacco-21 Laws Reduce Smoking among 18 to 20 Year-Olds?
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2019
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ISSN:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntz123
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Abstract: Introduction: States and municipalities are increasingly restricting tobacco sales to those under age-21, in an effort to reduce youth and young adult smoking. However, the effectiveness of such policies remains unclear, particularly when implemented locally. Methods: Analyses use 2011 - 2016 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System’s Selected Metropolitan/Micropolitan Area Risk Trends dataset. Difference-in-differences and triple-difference regressions estimate the relationship between local tobacco-21 policies and smoking among 18 to 20 year-olds living in MMSAs (metropolitan/micropolitan statistical areas). Results: Current smoking rates fell from 16.5 percent in 2011 to 8.9 percent in 2016 among 18- 20 year-olds in these data. Regressions indicate that a tobacco-21 policy covering one’s entire MMSA yields an approximately 3.1 percentage point reduction in 18 to 20 year-olds’ likelihoods of smoking [CI: -0.0548, -0.0063]. Accounting for partial policy exposure — tobacco-21 laws implemented in some but not all jurisdictions within an MMSA — this estimate implies that the average exposed 18 to 20 year-old experienced a 1.2 percentage point drop in their likelihood of being a smoker at interview relative to unexposed respondents of the same age, all else equal. Conclusions: Local tobacco-21 policies yield a substantive reduction in smoking among 18 to 20 year-olds living in metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas. This finding provides empirical support for efforts to raise the tobacco purchasing age to 21 as a means to reduce young adult smoking. Moreover, it suggests that state laws preempting local tobacco-21 policies may impede public health.
Url: https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntz123/5538951
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Authors: Friedman, Abigail S; Wu, Rachel J
Periodical (Full): Nicotine & Tobacco Research
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Volume:
Pages: NZT123
Data Collections: IPUMS Health Surveys - NHIS
Topics: Health
Countries: United States