The Economics of Addictive Behaviours Volume I

This title discusses the phenomenon of smoking as a behavioural disease and the associated costs. The author details the consequences of smoking, in addition to the detrimental effects caused by second-hand tobacco smoke exposure as a health risk to children as well as to the general public. The central contribution of Joshua’s work is to address these concerns in terms of the issues of free choice and the market. Considering the various restrictive policies designed to reduce smoking’s prevalence, including the banning of smoking in public places, and the inclusion of warning labels on cigarette packets, Joshua carefully analyses potential economic remedies to the problem of smoking, notably the Pigovian tax. Finally, the book concludes with a highly relevant discussion of corporate social responsibility, and the role that this might play in anti-smoking projects.

This is the first title in a four volume series ‘The Economics of Addictive Behaviours’, which consists of three further volumes on alcohol abuse, illicit drug abuse and overeating.