Working Paper: NBER ID: w30614
Authors: Jeffrey S. Desimone; Daniel S. Grossman; Nicolas R. Ziebarth
Abstract: Increases in youth vaping rates and concerns of a new generation of nicotine addicts recently prompted an increase in the federal minimum legal purchase age (MLPA) for tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to 21 years. This study presents the first regression discontinuity evidence on the effectiveness of e-cigarette MLPA laws. Using data on 12th graders from Monitoring the Future, we obtain robust evidence that federal and state age-18 MLPAs decreased underage e-cigarette use by 15–20% and frequent use by 20–40%. These findings suggest that the age-21 federal MLPA could meaningfully reduce e-cigarette use among 18–20-year-olds.
Keywords: e-cigarettes; minimum legal purchase age; youth vaping; public health
JEL Codes: H51; H75; I12; I18
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| age 21 federal MLPA (I29) | e-cigarette use among 18-20 year-olds (I19) |
| MLPA laws (K36) | e-cigarette consumption (E21) |
| age threshold of 18 (J14) | e-cigarette consumption (E21) |
| MLPA laws (K36) | underage e-cigarette consumption (L96) |