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Study Executive Summary
When most states pass a smoke-free indoor air law and increase the tobacco tax, it’s cause for celebration. But are the effects of these policies lessened if, at the same time, tobacco-control funding is slashed or eliminated?
That’s the key question UW-CTRI will explore with a new $195,766 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Funding for tobacco prevention and cessation has been cut dramatically in many states, including Wisconsin. The economic downturn is occurring simultaneously with more states implementing comprehensive clean-indoor air ordinances and increasing tobacco taxes, both measures known to impact smoking prevalence, health and future health-care costs.
(For an interactive map showing state clean-indoor-air ordinances, tobacco-tax rates, and tobacco-control spending, click here).
In this new study, UW-CTRI’s Dr. Michael Fiore will work as the principal investigator, in partnership with economist Dr. Frank Chaloupka of the University of Illinois-Chicago, who is developing a mathematical model. Dr. Megan Sheffer is coordinating the study, including the collection of secondary data from the CDC, ClearWay Minnesota, Chaloupka and state health departments. They’ll work together to estimate the public health return on investment (ROI) of two policy changes—comprehensive clean indoor air ordinances and excise tax increases—in light of significant tobacco-control funding changes in Wisconsin.
The primary measure of public health ROI will be changes in cigarette consumption (defined as cigarette pack-sales). Changes in cigarette consumption over the study time period will then be used to model anticipated changes in adult smoking prevalence, youth smoking prevalence, and adverse health impacts due to tobacco use.
Findings from Wisconsin will be compared to the state of Minnesota, a state that has implemented similar policy changes in a comparable time period but has maintained its comprehensive tobacco-control program through the work of ClearWay Minnesota. Data will be examined for the period Jan. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2010, to permit a longer-term assessment of these policies in the context of changes in funding. |
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Frank Chaloupka
Megan Sheffer
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As a result of this research, policymakers and program managers will be able to see the estimated incremental effects of specific policy changes on cigarette consumption—including lost ROI due to funding cuts to state tobacco-control programs. The two-year grant began May 1, 2010.
Study Executive Summary |
