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Obesity, smoking, and cigarette taxes: Evidence from the Canadian Community Health Surveys

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  • Sen, Anindya
  • Entezarkheir, Mahdiyeh
  • Wilson, Alan

Abstract

Objectives Recent studies suggest an ambiguous relationship between obesity and cigarette taxes. We employ Canadian data to evaluate the effects of cigarette taxes on smoking and obesity.Methods We use a simple reduced form approach and exploit the significant cross-province differences that exist between Eastern and Western Canada to estimate the effects of higher cigarette taxes using aggregate health region and individual level data from the 2003 and 2005 waves of the Canadian Community Health Surveys (CCHS).Results OLS estimates based on health regions data suggest that a 10% increase in cigarette taxes is significantly correlated with a 4-5% increase in the percentage of obese population. We also find cigarette tax elasticities of between -0.2 and -0.4 with respect to the percentage of smokers. Estimates from individual level data are similar.Conclusions In tandem, these results offer support to the possibility that health benefits from higher cigarette taxes and lower smoking, might be partially offset by a corresponding increase in obesity levels.

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  • Sen, Anindya & Entezarkheir, Mahdiyeh & Wilson, Alan, 2010. "Obesity, smoking, and cigarette taxes: Evidence from the Canadian Community Health Surveys," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(2-3), pages 180-186, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:97:y:2010:i:2-3:p:180-186
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    Cited by:

    1. Anindya Sen, 2017. "Smokes, Smugglers and Lost Tax Revenues: How Governments Should Respond," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 471, February.
    2. Courtemanche, Charles & Tchernis, Rusty & Ukert, Benjamin, 2018. "The effect of smoking on obesity: Evidence from a randomized trial," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 31-44.
    3. Karen Smith Conway & David P. Niles, 2017. "Cigarette Taxes, Smoking—and Exercise?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(8), pages 1019-1036, August.
    4. Anindya Sen, 2016. "Joint Venture: A Blueprint for Federal and Provincial Marijuana Policy," e-briefs 235, C.D. Howe Institute.

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    Keywords

    Obesity Smoking Cigarette taxes;

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