How do American and British Nonsmokers Value Secondhand Smoke Health Risks?

Abstract

Despite concerted efforts to enforce smoke-free laws in various countries, nonsmokers, particularly women and children, continue to be exposed to daily secondhand smoke (SHS), resulting in significant health risks. While existing studies have assessed the health effects of numerous diseases, the quantification of SHS spillovers remains understudied. This research employs choice experiments and contingent valuation techniques to rigorously quantify the attributes of SHS health risks, with a specific emphasis on facilitating cross-country comparisons. Our investigation reveals that nonsmoking individuals in the United Kingdom exhibit an attitude of indifference towards a proposed policy offering increased disposable income as compensation for SHS exposure. Conversely, nonsmoking Americans express a contrary perspective. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that nonsmoking Americans attribute a higher value to SHS health risks compared to their British counterparts. Consequently, this research uncovers a hitherto unexplored dimension of health risk-related behaviors. These findings hold the potential to significantly contribute to the development of future smoke-free policies, offering valuable insights that can inform policy decisions and address the persistent challenges associated with SHS exposure, particularly among vulnerable populations.