Examining quit attempts and successful quitting after recent cigarette tax increases

As cigarette smoking rates decline, an important policy question is whether increasing cigarette taxes will continue to encourage smoking cessation. We tested this question following recent tobacco tax increases. Data were from the Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey, a serial cross-sectional telephone survey conducted statewide, and was limited to past-year cigarette smokers in 2010 (n = 1029) and 2014 (n = 1382). Weighted estimates were calculated of the prevalence of past year smokers, smokers who attempted to quit smoking, and those who successfully quit by demographics, tobacco use, use of evidence-based cessation assistance to quit, and smoker perceptions of the tax increases. Among past year smokers, almost 60% reported a quit attempt in both years, 12.8% successfully quit in 2010 and 15.6% in 2014. Although older age, daily smoking, mean cigarettes per day, and more days of e-cigarette use, were associated with quit attempts in unadjusted models, only the perceived tax increase effect (AOR = 8.9; 95% CI 6.3–12.5) and low nicotine dependence (AOR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.3–2.7) were associated with making a quit attempt in adjusted models. Successful 12-month quits were predicted by college education (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.3–7.8), the use of cessation support (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.3–3.6), and reporting the tax increase helped maintain a quit (AOR = 12.3, 95% CI 7.5–20.1). These findings suggest that a large tax increase is effective in promoting quitting even in the presence of strong tobacco control measures such as indoor smoking bans and other smoking restrictions, mass media campaigns, and universal access to cessation support. •In 2013, Minnesota cigarette excise tax increased $1.75.•60% of past year smokers made a quit attempt and 15% successfully quit.•Higher education and use of cessation aids predicted quit success.•Perception of the tax as helpful strongly predicted quitting.•Cigarette tax revenue should be directed to assist smoking cessation.