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Cigarette demand is responsive to higher prices: findings from a survey of University students in Jordan
  1. Nadia J Sweis1,
  2. Rajeev Cherukupalli2
  1. 1Department of Business Administration, King Talal Faculty for Business and Technology, Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Al Jubaiha, Jordan
  2. 2Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Nadia J Sweis, Department of Business Administration, King Talal Faculty for Business and Technology, Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Al Jubaiha 11941, Jordan; sweisnadia{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Objective To estimate the price elasticity of cigarette demand for university students aged 18–24 years in Jordan.

Methods Questions from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey were adapted and administered to students from 10 public universities in Jordan in 2014. A two-part econometric model of cigarette demand was estimated.

Results Nearly one-third of university students in Jordan smoke, purchasing 33.2 packs per month and paying 1.70 Jordanian dinars on average (US$2.40) for a pack of 20 cigarettes. The price elasticity of cigarette demand was estimated to be −1.15.

Conclusions Higher taxes may be particularly effective in reducing smoking among University students in Jordan.

  • Economics
  • Price
  • Public policy
  • Taxation

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Footnotes

  • Contributors NJS conducted the survey, conducted statistical analysis and wrote the manuscript. RC contributed to the analysis and writing during manuscript revision.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Patient consent Obtained.

  • Ethics approval Ethical review Board in Jordan/At The Ministry of Health.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.