Racial and Ethnic Differences in What Smokers Report Paying for Their Cigarettes

Conclusions:
Average reported cigarette prices vary by race and ethnicity, in part due to differences in product use and purchase location. Tobacco price policies, especially those that target low prices for multipack products or on Indian reservations may increase the prices paid by whites and American Indians, who smoke at the highest rates and pay the least per pack.

Implications:
This study examines differences in reported prices paid by different racial and ethnic groups, using recent, national data from the United States. Results indicating that racial and ethnic groups that smoke at the highest rates (American Indians and whites) also pay the least are consistent with evidence that price is a key factor in cigarette use. Additional analysis finds that cigarette purchasing behaviors, especially carton buying and purchasing on Indian reservations, partially account for the documented price differences, and suggest that policies focused on bulk purchases (carton, multipack) and reservation prices have strong tobacco control potential.

Source: Nicotine and Tobacco Research - June 10, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: Golden, S. D., Kong, A. Y., Ribisl, K. M. Tags: Original Investigation Source Type: research