Research

Explaining cross-country variation in cigarette consumption

Kolluru Srinivas¹ and Bhanoji Rao²

¹  Research & Analysis Department, GNN Market Research Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, India

²  LKY School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Sri Sathya Sai University, Prasanthi Nilayam, and Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad, India

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Tobacco Induced Diseases 2009, 5:1doi:10.1186/1617-9625-5-1

Published:	9 January 2009

Abstract

This short paper uses cross-country data on per capita cigarette consumption and selected socio-economic variables to explain inter-country differentials in consumption. It is found that the proportion of the aged in the total population and higher literacy among women have relatively greater and positive impact on cigarette consumption. Even after controlling for the effect of the two variables, a country's industrialized status has a positive impact on consumption. It would thus seem that aging and economic, and social developments are pro-cigarette consumption.