Researchers
An important component of any FDA regulation of tobacco products is an economic analysis of the regulation. Models of the health-related economic costs of cigarette smoking have evolved and improved over the years, and current models take into account the complex relationship between smoking, health, and healthcare expenditures. However, there is a lack of research on healthcare costs attributable to the use of tobacco products other than cigarettes. It is important to have this information given the increased rates at which non-cigarette products are being used. To fill this gap, we will develop economic models to estimate the healthcare costs (i.e. healthcare expenditures) resulting from the use of different tobacco products and secondhand smoke exposure. Our models will also incorporate findings from other TCORS projects on the impact of different tobacco products on health as they become available. Better models of the cost of smoking and models of costs associated with the use of other tobacco products will be useful for the regulation of tobacco products by allowing policy analyses to consider the impact of regulations on tobacco consumption as well as healthcare costs. The cost models will be used to evaluate the impact of actual and potential FDA regulation on healthcare expenditures resulting from tobacco product use and exposure to secondhand smoke. In addition, the models can be used to evaluate the impact on healthcare expenditures of other policies that impact tobacco product use.