Cigarette Tax Disproportionately Burdens Low-Income Families: Expert Farrelly Available to Discuss

Matthew Farrelly, PhD, is a chief scientist and senior director of the Public Health Policy Research Program in RTI International's Public Health and Environment Division. His new study, published in PLOS One, found that although high cigarette taxes are effective at reducing cigarette smoking, they disproportionally burden low-income smokers. The study showed that low-income smokers in New York, which has the nation’s highest state cigarette tax at $4.35 per pack, spent nearly a quarter of their household income on cigarettes.

Farrelly's research focus is on evaluating smokers' response to tobacco control policies and programs, such as cigarette excise tax increases, mass media campaigns, workplace smoking restrictions, state tobacco control programs, and other policies aimed at curbing tobacco use. Dr. Farrelly has also investigated whether attempts to curb the use of one substance, such as tobacco, have the unintended consequence of encouraging marijuana or alcohol use.