
%0 Journal Article
%A MacFarlane, Kirsty 
%A Paynter, Janine 
%A Arroll, Bruce 
%A Youdan, Ben 
%T Tax is a motivating factor to make a quit attempt from smoking: a study before and after the April 2010 tax increase
%J Journal of Primary Health Care
%D 2011/12/01
%V 3
%N 4
%P 283-288
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/HC11283
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HC11283 
%X INTRODUCTION: Increasing excise tax on tobacco is one of the most powerful and cost-effective smoking interventions. Despite this evidence, there has been no substantial tax increase in New Zealand between 2000 and 2010. In April 2010 a 10% tax increase on factory-made cigarettes and a 24% tax increase on loose leaf tobacco was implemented. AIM: To evaluate the effect of cost as a motivating reason for smokers to make a quit attempt before and after the 2010 tobacco tax increase. METHODS: A regression analysis of a cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected from August to October 2009 and compared with data collected in July 2010. RESULTS: In 2009, 25.5% of smokers cited cost as a reason for trying to quit smoking compared with 55.6% in 2010. The adjusted odds of making a quit attempt with cost as a reason were 3.6 (95% CI 2.3&#x2013;5.6, P=<0.001). Furthermore, smokers were more likely to make a quit attempt in 2010 than in 2009. Thirty percent of smokers made at least one quit attempt in 2009 and 39% made a quit attempt in 2010 (adjusted odds ratio 1.5, 95% CI 0.95&#x2013;2.3, P=<0.1) DISCUSSION: The recent tax increase on tobacco in New Zealand has resulted in more smokers making an attempt to quit smoking and more smokers identifying cost as a motive for quitting. KEYWORDS: Smoking; smoking cessation; tobacco; taxes; New Zealand 
