The Effect of Education on Smoking Decisions in the United States

TL;DR

This study analyzes how increased education levels influence smoking initiation and cessation in the U.S., showing that more education reduces smoking likelihood and increases quitting probability, highlighting education's role in public health.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence quantifying the impact of education on smoking decisions using probit analysis with comprehensive control variables.

Findings

Each additional year of education reduces smoking probability by 2.3 percentage points.

Every extra year of education increases quitting likelihood by 3.53 percentage points.

Education significantly influences smoking behavior after controlling for various factors.

Abstract

This paper explores the link between education and the decision to start smoking as well as the decision to quit smoking. Data is gathered from IPUMS CPS and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Probit analysis (with the use of probability weight and robust standard error) indicates that every additional year of education will reduce the 2.3 percentage point of the smoking probability and will add 3.53 percentage point in quitting likelihood, holding home restriction, public restriction, cigarette price, family income, age, gender, race, and ethnicity constant. I believe that tobacco epidemic is a serious global issue that may be mitigated by using careful regulations on smoking restriction and education.