Increase in cigarette prices may reduce smoking in elderly 

Raising cigarette prices by a dollar can increase the possibility of older people quitting smoking by 20 per cent, researchers say.

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What experts say?

• Expert said,older smokers have been smoking for a long time.
• And tend to have lower rates of smoking cessation compared to younger populations.
• Suggesting deeply entrenched behaviour that is difficult to change.
• In addition, our finding that increase in cigarette prices were associated with quitting smoking in the older population.
• Furthermore, suggests cigarette taxes may be a particularly effective lever for behaviour change.
• The researchers looked at included smokers ranging in age from 44 to 84 and stretched across six different places.
• In addition to finding that current smokers were 20% more likely to quit smoking when pack prices went up by a dollar.
• Researchers’ team showed there was a three per cent overall reduction in smoking risk.
• However, when the data was narrowed to heavy smokers, there was a 7% reduction in risk.

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Price increased:

• When prices increased by a dollar, heavy smokers also showed a 35 per cent reduction in the average number of cigarettes.
• They smoked per day, compared to 19 per cent less in the overall smoking population.
• Since heavy smokers smoke more cigarettes per day initially.
• They may feel the impact of a price increase to a greater degree.
• And be more likely to cut back on the number of cigarettes they smoke on a daily basis.

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Based on results from this study published in the journal Epidemiology, raising cigarette prices appears to be a better strategy for encouraging smoking cessation across all ages.