The Economics of Addictive Behaviours Volume I : The Private and Social Costs of Smoking and Their Remedies

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. John Joshua taught Economics to undergraduates and postgraduates in Melbourne, Australia, and China for many years. He holds PhDs in Sociology, Education and Economics, and his research interests are in the economic, educational, and psycho-social transformation of developing economies. Front Matter....Pages i-xi Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction....Pages 3-9 Smoking as a Behavioural Disease and Its Causes....Pages 11-23 The Consequences of Smoking....Pages 25-40 Second-Hand Tobacco Smoke Exposure....Pages 41-47 The Market and Rational Decisions....Pages 49-53 The Prevention of Smoking and Restrictive Policies....Pages 55-80 Economic Remedies to Reduce Smoking....Pages 81-100 Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Costs....Pages 101-105 Conclusion....Pages 107-109 Back Matter....Pages 111-134 Annotation 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