The impact of cigarette tax increase on smoking behavior of daily smokers.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of excise tax increase on smoking behavior of daily smokers aged 15 years and over and to explore the association between smokers' characteristics and smoking behavior prior and after excise tax increase.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

This cross-sectional survey was performed in 504 daily smokers, who were selected from data records of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) between February and April, 2009. The data were collected by telephone interview in the first and second weeks of July, 2009. Data were analyzed by frequency distribution and binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

After the cigarette tax increase, 9.7% of daily smokers quitted smoking and 48.0% reduced the amount of cigarettes and/or changed the brands and types of tobacco, from manufactured cigarettes to hand-rolled cigarettes. After other covariance being adjusted, the analysis revealed that the amount of cigarettes per day, the types of cigarettes (manufactured and hand-rolled cigarettes), and the smokers' reaction towards the increased price after the excise tax increase were respectively associated with the fact that the smokers quitted smoking or reduced the amount of cigarettes (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Cigarette tax increase is beneficial for government revenue and it also affects smoking behavior change of daily smokers. However Ministry of Public Health should co-operate with Ministry of Finance to raise the tax rate on both cigarettes and hand-rolled cigarettes continuously and provide sufficient cessation service to respond to the need to quit smoking.