A study released on Apr. 14 by Wake Forest Associate Professor of Economics Erik Nesson and national collaborators finds that raising taxes on e-cigarettes reduces usage among heterosexual teens, but has little effect on lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning (LGBQ) youth.
The research is significant as it highlights differences in how various groups of teenagers respond to public health policies intended to curb nicotine use. While many states and municipalities have imposed excise taxes on electronic nicotine delivery systems in recent years, the study suggests these measures may not be effective for all populations.
According to the findings, a one-dollar increase in e-cigarette tax reduced prior-month vaping by 3 to 4 percentage points among heterosexual youth. However, LGBQ teens showed no significant change in usage rates after similar tax increases. The researchers found that LGBQ youth vape at rates over 30% higher than their straight peers and respond differently to price-based interventions.
Nesson said the team used data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey between 2015 and 2023. “We found that for LGBQ youth who did not report bullying or sadness, the taxes reduce vaping to a similar degree as among heterosexual youth. However, for LGBQ youth who self-reported struggles, the tax had no statistically significant effect on vaping,” Nesson said.
The study suggests that for many LGBQ teens experiencing stressors such as bullying or isolation, nicotine serves as a coping mechanism and price increases are insufficient deterrents. Nesson said: “Our results suggest that policymakers need to be aware that increasing the cost of nicotine products may not yield uniform results and, in fact, may be less effective with LGBQ youth who are struggling. And this is important to consider when trying to develop the right mix of tobacco control policies to curb use among teens.”
