Tobacco Advertising Bans: Some Thoughts

This paper examines some of the evidence concerning tobacco advertising and tobacco consumption and discusses the imposition of various bans on tobacco advertising. Important examples of such bans are the 1971 electronic media ban in the U.S.A., the 1976 Australian electronic media ban and the recently introduced magazine and newspaper ban in Australia. The evidence is not totally convincing that tobacco advertising bans reduce tobacco consumption. However, this does not preclude a total ban as part of any future Australian comprehensive smoking control policy.     

The association of smoking with drinking pattern may provide opportunities to reduce smoking among students

There is evidence that smoking and alcohol consumption are paired behaviours among university students, but we know little about how New Zealand students engage in these behaviours. We estimated prevalence of daily and occasional smoking among university students, and associations of smoking with drinking patterns, demographics and smokefree policies of the university. This research was conducted with 2822 university students, aged 17–25, from five New Zealand universities who participated in an online health survey in 2013. Fourteen percent reported they currently smoke occasionally, and 3% reported smoking on a daily basis. Increasing age, living situation, drinking more often, and drinking more alcohol during drinking occasions were all associated with greater levels of smoking. Understanding patterns of smoking in relation to alcohol consumption may help efforts to further reduce smoking prevalence. Specifically, policy makers should consider approaches that de-couple tobacco and alcohol consumption, such as expanding the smokefree perimeter of bars and disallowing the sale of tobacco at premises licensed to sell alcohol.     

Are risk preferences stable? Comparing an experimental measure with a validated survey-based measure

We examine the stability of risk preference within subjects by comparing measures obtained from two elicitation methods, an economics experiment with real monetary rewards and a survey with questions on hypothetical gambles. The survey questions have been validated by numerous empirical studies of investment, insurance demand, smoking and alcohol use, and recent studies have shown the experimental measure is associated with several real-world risky behaviors. For the majority of subjects, we find that risk preferences are not stable across elicitation methods. In interval regression models subjects’ risk preference classifications from survey questions on job-based gambles are not associated with risk preference estimates from the experiment. However, we find that risk classifications from inheritance-based gambles are significantly associated with the experimental measure. We identify some subjects for whom risk preference estimates are more strongly correlated across elicitation methods, suggesting that unobserved subject traits like comprehension or effort influence risk preference stability.     

Smoking,drinking, and the distribution of adult body weight

This paper contributes to the recent debate on the association between smoking and obesity by distinguishing the effects of smoking, drinking beer and liquor on the distribution of body weight. Using a national survey in the United States, results show that these three behaviors are correlated. Smoking is found to be insignificantly associated with body weight. These findings alleviate some of the concern about smoking cessation and weight gain. In contrast, a positive association is evident between drinking beer and body weight. This positive association is increasing over the entire distribution of body weight.     

SUPPLYING AND PROMOTING ‘GROG’: THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF ALCOHOL IN ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIA

The deleterious effects of alcohol misuse among Aboriginal Australians have been well documented and are widely acknowledged by Aboriginal people. However, most academic discussion has attempted to explain the demand for alcohol by Aboriginal people. In this review, we argue for an analysis of the political economy of Aboriginal alcohol use which also focuses on the supply and promotion of alcohol. Our own research and that of others demonstrates the utility of such an approach and the practical benefits it offers for harm minimisation strategies.     

Clean Indoor Air Laws and cigarette demand: Restrictions versus enforcement

This paper investigates the impact of Clean Indoor Air Laws on the demand for cigarettes. Utilizing recently published ratings of State Clean Indoor Air Laws, which account for restrictions on the locations of permissible smoking, as well as enforcement and penalties, the results show that demand falls as smoking restrictions are elevated. However, enforcement and penalties have little impact on cigarette demand. Given the social pressures attached to smoking, these results are consistent with Clean Indoor Air Laws being self-enforcing.     

Advertising in demand systems for alcoholic drinks and tobacco: A comparative study

This paper is concerned with the effect of advertising on the interproduct distribution of demand. For that purpose, it examines different ways of incorporating advertising terms into the Rotterdam model and into static and dynamic versions of the Almost Ideal Demand System. In an empirical application to data for the alcoholic drinks and tobacco markets in the United Kingdom, it is concluded that aggregate advertising appears to have had little or no effect upon product demand in this sector over the past three decades. The scope for restraining consumption of these products through advertising bans may be negligible.     

Informal workers and Kenya’s National Hospital Insurance Fund: Identifying barriers to voluntary participation

This article investigates the barriers to informal workers’ voluntary participation in Kenya’s national health insurance scheme – the National Hospital Insurance Fund. Based on primary data from both qualitative and quantitative methods, we find that the key determinants of enrolment include social factors, such as marital status, which create demand for insurance, and the role of informal workers’ associations that promote the voluntary uptake of health insurance and prevent default through contribution support. Participation barriers and reasons for inactiveness stem from the nature of informal work characterized by irregular earnings, which combine with apprehension about having to pay penalty charges for the late payment of premiums, inadequate levels of knowledge about health insurance schemes, institutional constraints such as complex registration procedures, as well as premium costs and poor-quality services, all of which discourage enrolment or the reactivation of lapsed membership. There is thus a need for health insurance schemes, such as Kenya’s National Hospital Insurance Fund, to educate informal workers on insurance services and protocols and to improve services to encourage uptake and reduce default behaviour.     

社会中介组织的伦理诉求及其精神培育

以自主性、服务性和权威性为运作特征的社会中介组织,使其在运作中必然要求自身具备信仰法律、信任政府、服务至上、严格自律的伦理要求。在培育这一伦理精神中完善法律规范是其基本保证,建立严格的市场准入制度和责任追究、业务失误赔偿制是其关键,提高中介组织队伍素质是其根本。     

Covid-19 pandemic and food security in India: Can authorities alleviate the disproportionate burden on the disadvantaged?

The present study examines covariates of food security and the impact of Covid-19 induced shocks, among households in India using a nationally representative survey. Using a 2SLS panel regression model, we find an important role of incomes, relative food prices, household characteristics, as well as mobility restrictions in response to the rising number of infections in a given region in explaining varying food expenditure shares prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic. The disproportionate burden of the pandemic induced lockdowns on the disadvantaged and minorities calls for effective action on the part of policymakers to boost aggregate demand, fix supply chains and reduce food price volatility.     

培养造就高素质的企业家队伍

企业家的选择本质上是一个市场淘汰的过程,但由于现代企业规模巨大,利害关系复杂,加之所有权与控制权的分离,企业人事决策、特别是高层管理人才的选聘是企业生死攸关的问题.我国传统体制下企业家的选择机制的主要弊端是,不是资本出于自身增值的需要去选择企业家,而是国家行政机构出于其他目的来选择企业领导者;对企业家的选拔偏重于政治标准,往往按照党政官员的标准进行;社会财富按行政系统进行分割固化,企业家资源和资本资源不能有效配置;管人与管事脱节,管理企业的部门不管干部,管理干部的部门不管企业;选人的渠道非常单一.我们应在企业家市场的培育方面多下功夫,最终通过市场实现企业家资源的供需平衡.同时,也应创造、形成一种有利于企业家成长的文化氛围,在中国现代文化中培养起适应社会经济发展需要的企业家精神.     

Racial Difference in the Determinants of Smoking Onset

The large differences in youth smoking behavior across ethnic and racial groups are often overlooked in debates about prevention. This study examines how the determinants of the onset of smoking vary by race and ethnicity. Academic success is strongly associated with lower smoking rates among white youth, but this is not as true for Hispanics and African-Americans. Cultural assimilation may be an important determinant of smoking for Hispanics. Price increases do not appear to reduce smoking onset among white youth, but the results provide some support that higher prices will reduce smoking among Hispanic and African-American youth.     

基于行业调研的高职食品类专业毕业生就业分析

中国已是世界第一大啤酒产销国,只有规模化发展和发挥食品生物技术在行业中的应用才能在行业立足。未来产品会向多样化发展,进出口数量及金额会日趋增大,企业将需要更多配合研发人员完成研发和基层技术岗位的一般技术人员和能开拓海外市场的专业人才。高职食品生物技术专业需要加强针对酒类酿造行业的专业建设。     

The Effects of Spousal Health on the Decision to Smoke: Evidence on Consumption Externalities, Altruism and Learning Within the Household

Married individuals are healthier than single individuals though the reasons are not well understood. Individuals with spouses/or partners are less likely to smoke. We explore the relationship between health and marital status by analyzing three potential channels through which marriage affects smoking, i.e., consumption externalities (one spouse's smoking affects the other spouse's welfare), altruism (one spouse reduces smoking in response to the other spouse's bad health), and learning about risks of smoking from the health experience of one's spouse. We find spousal health does not affect smoking due to altruism or learning within the household but do find evidence for consumption externalities.     

Adverse Selection,Bequests, Crowding Out,and Private Demand for Insurance: Evidence from the Long-term Care Insurance Market

Adverse selection, moral hazard, and crowding out by public insurance have all been proposed as theoretical reasons for why the market for private long-term care insurance has been slow to evolve in the U.S. Using national samples of the elderly and near elderly, this study investigates which is most important. The data contain direct measures of risk aversion, expectations of future nursing home use and living to old age, and the bequest motive. For both groups, we find evidence of adverse selection, and, for the elderly, crowding out of private long-term care insurance by Medicaid. However, we do not find that demand for such insurance is motivated either by bequest or exchange motives.     

Same‐Sex Marriage and Negative Externalities*

Objectives. Conventional theory regarding externalities and personal choices implies that in the absence of negative externalities, there is no economic rationale for government to regulate or ban those choices. We evaluate whether legally recognizing (or prohibiting) same‐sex marriage has any adverse impact on societal outcomes specifically related to “traditional family values.” Methods. Using data from 1990 to 2004 in the U.S. states, with statistical controls appropriate for the particular model, and with fixed effects, we test the claim of the Family Research Council that same‐sex marriage will have negative impacts on marriage, divorce, abortion rates, the proportion of children born to single women, and the percent of children in female‐headed households. Results. We find no statistically significant adverse effect from allowing gay marriage. Bans on gay marriage, when they are not overturned, appear to be associated with a lower abortion rate and a lower percentage of children in female‐headed households. However, allowing gay marriage also shows the same or stronger associations. Conclusions. The argument that same‐sex marriage poses a negative externality on society cannot be rationally held. Although many might believe that this conclusion is so obvious that it does not warrant testing, many politicians use this argument as a fact‐based rationale to legitimize bans on same‐sex marriage.     

Increasing the use of alcohol screening and brief intervention in New Zealand

New Zealand has high rates of acute alcohol-related harm relative to chronic harm, and when compared with other countries. Acute harm is typically caused by binge drinking. New Zealand alcohol use surveys consistently find that about 20–25% of adult drinkers binge drink. There is substantial overseas evidence that alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) in primary health care is effective and cost-effective for reducing alcohol harm among binge drinkers. However, while there is also growing evidence that alcohol SBI can successfully be implemented in New Zealand, the approach has been significantly under-utilised. This article provides a brief overview of New Zealand research that supports a case for increasing the use of alcohol SBI in primary health care. It also highlights that when looking to successfully implement alcohol SBI in other settings, it is important to ensure that the intervention is simple and purpose-built for both the setting and recipient.     

Improved Risk Information,the Demand for Cigarettes,and Anti-Tobacco Policy

This paper purports to develop a simple microeconomic model designed to shed light on behavioral change induced by improved information about smoking risks. It predicts the conditions in which improved information indeed increases the demand for cigarettes. After recalling the economic rationale of an anti-tobacco policy, the article points out a few startling implications of improved information about the risks of smoking.     

Nexus between drinking patterns,gender and life satisfaction: Some evidence from Indigenous Australians

Excessive alcohol consumption results in a broad range of health problems and other social issues, such as violence, social disorder and family breakdown. As such, alcohol consumption is considered as a critical social policy issue in Australia. In this study, we have used ordered logit models to estimate the probability of an Indigenous person consuming alcohol and to assess the impact of alcohol consumption on self-perceived life satisfaction. A heteroscedasticity-corrected ordered logit model is used to identify the gender difference in such effects. For this purpose, we use the latest National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS) 2014/2015 data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The estimation results reveal that age, gender, employment status, income and the experience of unfair treatments significantly affect Indigenous people's (level of) alcohol consumption. The results also reveal that any level of alcohol consumption is linked with reduced overall life satisfaction, which is another reason why prevention of alcohol misuse should be a priority. A significant gender differences in the medium-risk-level alcohol consumption were also observed. These findings could be used as an alcohol prevention message in developing and implementing alcohol prevention strategies and policies.     

The impact of governmental assistance on insurance demand under ambiguity: a theoretical model and an experimental test

This article deals with the impact of governmental assistance on insurance demand under ambiguity, i.e., in situations where probabilities are uncertain. First, using a model of insurance demand under ambiguity, we derive theoretical predictions about the impact of several governmental assistance programmes on optimal insurance demand. For example, governmental assistance through a fixed public support scheme implies that partial insurance is always optimal under fair insurance with ambiguity. Second, we present the results of an experiment designed to test these predictions. We find support for several of our theoretical predictions. For example, the presence of governmental assistance through a fixed public support scheme decreases individuals’ willingness to pay to be fully insured. Finally, we compare these results with those obtained for a risk situation. We find that, regardless of the form of governmental assistance, participants in the ambiguity context are consistently willing to pay more to be fully insured than participants in the risk situation.