Smoking bans, cigarette prices and life satisfaction

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Economics
• Psychology

Background:

• Assessing the impact of tobacco control policies on individual welfare is complex, especially concerning willpower.
• Understanding the subjective well-being effects of smoking bans and prices is crucial for effective policy design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of smoking bans and cigarette prices on subjective well-being in Europe.
• To analyze how anti-smoking policies affect individuals with varying smoking propensities.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 40 European countries and regions (1990-2011).
• Exploitation of staggered introduction of smoking bans.
• Application of an imputation strategy to assess policy effects on different smoker types.

Main Results:

• Increased cigarette prices were associated with reduced life satisfaction among likely smokers.
• Smoking bans showed minimal overall impact on subjective well-being.
• Smoking bans significantly increased life satisfaction for smokers intending to quit.

Conclusions:

• Higher cigarette prices negatively affect the well-being of those likely to smoke.
• Smoking bans can serve as effective self-control devices, enhancing life satisfaction for smokers aiming to quit.
• Findings align with cue-triggered addiction models and the role of bans in aiding cessation.