Poster #93 - Say No to Nicotine: Effects of Tobacco Access on Crime, Education, and Mental Health

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

During the last decade, many states in the U.S. have raised the minimum age for tobacco purchase from 18 to 21; the goal of this initiative is to prevent young individuals, especially those in high school, from gaining access to tobacco products. Using data from FBI's Uniform Crime Report along with the variation in implementation across U.S. states over time, I examine the impact of this policy on arrest rates of teenagers and young adults. Raising the minimum tobacco purchase age decreases the arrest rates by 2.7 percentage points for the 15-17 age group and by 1.2 percentage points for the 18-21 age group. Analyzing the data relating to health, evidence indicates that the lower arrest rates for the 18-21 age group is driven by improvements in mental health. In addition, I find that the lower arrest rates for the 15-17 age group is due to their increased motivation to stay in school and searching for a stable career. My findings, which are supported by several robustness checks and placebo tests along with nationwide data over multiple time periods, provide the first causal evidence for non-health related outcomes, particularly on crime and education, resulting from less exposure to tobacco products.

Author

• Pete Pridanonda, University of California, Riverside
  Presenting Author