Does the Cost of Cigarettes
Prevent People from Smoking?

Smoking cigarettes has been “out of trend” for a while. In the late 1990s and early 2000s smoking in most workplaces and public places was prohibited in many countries. People started being more aware of their eating habits, physical activities, and overall health. In the USA, current smoking has declined from 20.9% (nearly 21 of every 100 adults) in 2005 to 14.0% (14 of every 100 adults) in 2019, and the proportion of smokers who have quit has increased (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

However, cigarette smoking is not just a simple bad habit but a strong addiction whether it is an addiction to nicotine or a psycho emotional addiction. Most of the time, it is both. Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, accounting for more than 480,000 deaths every year, or about 1 in 5 deaths.
In this project I explore the average cost of cigarettes per pack, federal and state tax on cigarettes, and the relation between these factors and adult smoking consumption from 1970 to 2019 in the United Stated.

Average Cost of Cigarettes in U.S. by State from 1970 to 2019

*Prices do not include sales tax
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On July 1, 2010, New York's cigarette excise tax was increased by an additional $1.60 per pack and new legislation was enacted to curb cigarette excise tax avoidance. These actions had the potential to appreciably reduce cigarette use and increase tax revenues to the state.

Average Cost of Cigarettes per Pack in 2010 and 2019

*Prices do not include sales tax

Federal and State Tax as a Percentage of Retail Prices in 2019

Federal and State Tax per Pack of Cigarettes in 2019

Cigarette Smoking among Adults in the United States in 2019. (cdc.dov)

Cigarette Consumption (Pack Sales per Capita) and Average Cost of Cigarettes per Pack

Although there are many other factors involved, the trends in cigarette prices and overall U.S. cigarette consumption from 1970 to 2019 show that there is a strong correlation between increasing prices and decreasing consumption.

Decreasing cigarette consumption among adults strongly correlates with increasing average cost of cigarettes. However, interestingly, the higher income people have the less they smoke. This means that smoking consumption depends not only from the cost of the cigarettes, but many other factors, which might include annual household income, level of education, marital status, and whether person has experienced anxiety.