Association between current cigarette prices and cessation behaviors among male adult smokers: findings from 2018 to 2020 ITC Vietnam surveys

Background: This study evaluated the impact of the tax increase in January 2019 on changes in intention to quit and the effect of cigarette prices on quit attempts and successful quitting among male cigarette smokers in Vietnam.

Methods: Data were derived from the ITC project in Vietnam, which included 1585 adult smokers at baseline (Wave 1, Aug-Oct 2018) followed up to waves 2 (Sep-Nov 2019) and 3 (Sep-Dec 2020). Generalized estimating equations regression was performed to estimate changes in the intention to quit. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the cigarette price of a cigarette pack in relation to quit attempts and successful quitting.

Results: The increase in cigarette tax in 2019 did not significantly increase the likelihood of the intention to quit. After the tax increase, 63.6% of participants who smoked made a quit attempt, and 27.6% successfully quit smoking in the follow-up waves. However, the price of a cigarette pack was not significantly associated with quit attempts and successful quitting. The study did not observe a significant impact of cigarette prices on quit attempts and successful quitting in all subgroups of household income. Factors associated with quit attempts included the number of cigarettes smoked and the intention to quit, while those associated with successful quitting included age, dual use of cigarettes and other tobacco products, and the intention to quit.

Conclusion: Current cigarette prices were not associated with cessation behaviors even within the lowest household income group. Therefore, a sharp rise in cigarette tax is required to incentivize smokers to quit smoking.