Markowitz Sara
Department of Economics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Health Econ. 2014 Nov;23(11):1353-73. doi: 10.1002/hec.2990. Epub 2013 Aug 23.
Fires and burns are among the leading causes of unintentional death in the USA. Most of these deaths occur in residences, and cigarettes are a primary cause. In this paper, I explore the relationship between smoking, cigarette policies, and fires. As smoking rates decline, there are fewer opportunities for fires; however, the magnitude of any reduction is in question. Using a state-level panel, I find that increases in cigarette prices are associated with fewer residential fires and deaths. However, laws regulating indoor smoking are associated with more fires; in particular, restaurant and bar smoking bans are associated with an increase in fires at eating and drinking establishments. This increase is important given the growing popularity of smoking bans in the USA and around the world. As workplaces, schools, and businesses ban smoking and remove ashtrays, smokers who continue to smoke are left without safe options for disposal of cigarettes, leading to more opportunities for fires to start.
火灾和烧伤是美国意外死亡的主要原因之一。这些死亡大多发生在住宅中，香烟是主要原因。在本文中，我探讨了吸烟、香烟政策与火灾之间的关系。随着吸烟率下降，火灾发生的机会减少；然而，减少的幅度尚不确定。利用州级面板数据，我发现香烟价格上涨与住宅火灾和死亡人数减少有关。然而，规范室内吸烟的法律却与更多火灾相关；特别是，餐厅和酒吧禁烟令与餐饮场所火灾增加有关。鉴于美国和全球范围内禁烟令越来越普遍，这一增长值得关注。随着工作场所、学校和企业禁止吸烟并移除烟灰缸，继续吸烟的人没有安全的香烟处理方式，从而导致更多火灾发生的机会。
