title: [The Impact of Prices and Taxes on the Use of Tobacco Products in Latin America and the Caribbean].
abstract: We examined the impact of tobacco prices or taxes on tobacco use in Latin America and Caribbean countries. We searched MEDLINE, EconLit, LILACS, unpublished literature, 6 specialty journals, and reviewed references. We calculated pooled price elasticities using random-effects models. The 32 studies we examined found that cigarette prices have a negative and statistically significant effect on cigarette consumption. A change in price is associated with a less than proportional change in the quantity of cigarettes demanded. In most Latin American countries, own-price elasticity for cigarettes is likely below -0.5 (pooled elasticities, shortrun: -0.31; 95% confidence interval = -0.39, -0.24; longrun: -0.43; 95% CI = -0.51, -0.35). Tax increases effectively reduce cigarette use. Lack of studies using household- or individual-level data limits research's policy relevance.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Economía de la Salud y Análisis de Políticas y al Departamento de Epidemiología y Bioestadística Clínica, Universidad McMaster, Hamilton (Canadá).
authors.forename: G Emmanuel
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Guindon
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Negocios, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago (Chile).
authors.forename: Guillermo R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Paraje
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Economía y al Instituto de Investigación y Políticas de Salud, Universidad de Illinois, Chicago, y la Oficina Nacional de Investigaciones Económicas de los Estados Unidos, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Chaloupka
mesh_terms: D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013660:Taxes / Q000191:economics*; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*