The Health Tax on Cigarettes and Agenda Setting in Taiwan

This study evaluates smokers\' responses to five NT dollar cigarette tax per package imposed since Jan. 2002. A telephone survey of 1625 samples was conducted and 349 smokers were interviewed.

The study describes the relationship between cigarette prices and reactions of smokers based on different price levels such as the comparison between the current prices in Taiwan and assuming prices in the U.S. The results show that there is no significant difference between two groups regarding to the issue of 5 dollars for cigarette tax per package. However, it demonstrates there is a significant difference if the price was raised up as the price in the U.S.