title: Heterogeneous rates of time preference and the decision to smoke.
abstract: Individuals with higher personal rates of time preference will be more likely to smoke. Although previous studies have found no evidence of a relationship between smoking and rates of time preference, analysis of implicit rates of time preference associated with workers' wage fatality risk trade-offs indicates that smokers have higher rates of time preference with respect to years of life. Current smokers have an implied rate of time preference of 13.8% as compared to 8.1% for nonsmokers. Current smokers who are blue-collar workers have rates of time preference with respect to years of life of 16.3% compared to 7.8% for nonsmoking blue-collar workers.
authors.affiliation: The Ohio State University.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Scharff
authors.forename: W Kip
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Viscusi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D006184:Habits; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D008017:Life Expectancy / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior / Q000266:history; D013997:Time Factors; D013998:Time Perception; D014937:Work / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology