Regulators have hesitated to impose taxes on e-cigarettes, fearing it might push vapers back to traditional tobacco. However, a recent study published in Health Economics indicates that higher prices can effectively reduce e-cigarette use among adult vapers without increasing tobacco smoking. Lead researcher Shaoying Ma from the Center for Tobacco Research at Ohio State University said: “Our findings suggest that increasing e-cigarette prices can effectively reduce vaping without the unintended consequence of more smoking among adult vapers.” The study found that mid-range prices led to a 30% to 33% drop in vape sales, while the highest prices resulted in a 49% to 51% decrease. The research concluded that higher e-cigarette prices do not significantly correlate with increased cigarette smoking among adult vapers in the U.S.
