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Price, tobacco control policies and smoking among young adults ABSTRACT This paper examines the effectiveness of two major tobacco control policies in discouraging cigarette smoking among young adults. In particular, this paper studies the effects of cigarette prices (which can be raised by increasing cigarette excise taxes) and restrictions on smoking in public places and private worksites on smoking participation and cigarette consumption among students in US colleges and universities. This is an interesting age group to study since it contains individuals whose smoking practices are likely to be in the process of becoming firmly established. As noted in a recent Surgeon General's report (US Department of Health and Human Services, 1994), almost all smokers first use cigarettes by high school graduation, while nearly no first use occurs after age 20. For many smokers, however, daily smoking begins at age 18 or older. Approximately 45% of those who ever smoked daily begin daily smoking between the ages of 18 and 29 years. Thus, the sample of college and university students will capture the age range during which policies to discourage smoking can have a significant impact. Moreover, given that college students will be the leaders of tomorrow and will shape future public policy, understanding the determinants of cigarette smoking for this population is particularly important.
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