Early Cigarette Prohibition During War and Peace

Rachel Fung (), Lauren Hoehn-Velasco () and Michael Pesko
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Rachel Fung: Department of Economics, University of Missouri, https://www.rachelylfung.com/
Lauren Hoehn-Velasco: Department of Economics, Georgia State University, https://www.laurenhoehnvelasco.com/

No 2513, Working Papers from Department of Economics, University of Missouri

Abstract: Cigarette smoking, a leading cause of preventable death in the United States, rose to widespread popularity in the early 20th century. Between 1893 and 1921, sixteen states enacted laws prohibiting the sale of cigarettes, but all such bans were repealed by 1927. We examine the impact of these repeals using data from the U.S. Veterans Mortality (Dorn) Study, collected in the 1950s, which allows for a retrospective analysis of early cigarette use. Using a staggered adoption difference-in-differences design, we find that repealing cigarette bans increased smoking initiation before ages 20 and 25 by over 13%. We also show that the distribution of cigarettes to soldiers during World War I increased smoking uptake and later-life mortality among men from states with active bans at the time of enlistment. Taken together, our findings suggest that the abandonment of early efforts to restrict cigarettes had long-lasting consequences for health.

Keywords: Cigarette regulations; smoking; long-term; mortality. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I18 N31 N32 N41 N42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-hea and nep-his
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