by Kenneth E. Warner and George A. Fulton

About the authors: Kenneth E. Warner is a professor of public health policy and administration at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. George A. Fulton is a research scientist in the Department of Economics and Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations at the University of Michigan.

Since the late 1970s, the tobacco industry has relied increasingly on an economic argument as a public relations defense against proposed tobacco- control measures. The industry has attempted to convince legislators, journalists, and the general public that, regardless of its effects on physical health, tobacco plays a critical role in their communities’ economic health, generating employment and contributing vital revenues to government coffers. The industry contends that regulatory measures that reduce smoking and hence cigarette sales, such as...