The decision to use tobacco is nearly always made in the teenage years. Approximately 90 percent of all initiation of tobacco use occurs among persons 18 years of age or younger, and about on-half of young people who take up smoking continue to use tobacco products as adults. Initiation of smoking at younger ages is associated with a longer duration of smoking and an increased likelihood of nicotine dependence. An understanding of the forces that encourage tobacco use by children and adolescents is an essential ingredient in the development of a public policy to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with smoking. The purpose of this proposal is to present a conceptual framework for understanding how the economic and psychological factors may interact to favor adolescents' decisions to initiate smoking. The model draws on the traditional economic model and behavioral economic principles to provide an understanding as to why youth engage in behaviors that they know will harm them. The proposal will provide a review of past studies from the health economics literature to provide supporting evidence for the model. Smoking by youth is explained as "decision errors" that might have important future ramifications. Therefore, methods for removing errors could be useful policy tools. This implies that understanding what drives these decisions is a critical part of health prevention. The discussion provides an excellent basis for analyzing the various dimensions of use of other licit and illicit substances.
Learning Objectives: 1. To discuss a conceptual framework drawn from behavioral economics to explain youth decision to initiate smoking. 2. To identify decision errors in youth behavior to initiate smoking. 3. To discuss methods to remove these errors as prevention
Keywords: Adolescents, Smoking
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.