The Health Effects of Smoking Bans: Evidence from German Hospitalization Data

36 Pages Posted: 9 Jul 2018

See all articles by Michael Kvasnicka

Michael Kvasnicka

RWI Essen (Berlin Office)

Thomas Siedler

University of Hamburg - Faculty of Business, Economics, and Social Sciences; DIW Berlin; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA); University of Essex

Nicolas R. Ziebarth

Cornell University

Abstract

This paper studies the short-term impact of public smoking bans on hospitalizations in Germany. It exploits the staggered implementation of smoking bans over time and across the 16 federal states along with the universe of hospitalizations from 2000-2008 and daily county-level weather and pollution data. Smoking bans in bars and restaurants have been effective in preventing 1.9 hospital admissions (-2.1%) due to cardiovascular diseases per day, per 1 million population. We also find a decrease by 0.5 admissions (-6.5%) due to asthma per day, per 1 million population. The health prevention effects are more pronounced on sunny days and days with higher ambient pollution levels.

Keywords: smoking bans, health effects, hospital admissions, second-hand smoke

JEL Classification: D12, H19, I12, I18

Suggested Citation

Kvasnicka, Michael and Siedler, Thomas and Ziebarth, Nicolas R., The Health Effects of Smoking Bans: Evidence from German Hospitalization Data. IZA Discussion Paper No. 11631, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3209728 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3209728

Michael Kvasnicka (Contact Author)

RWI Essen (Berlin Office) ( email )

Hohenzollernstr. 1-3
Berlin, 45128
Germany

Thomas Siedler

University of Hamburg - Faculty of Business, Economics, and Social Sciences ( email )

Von-Melle-Park 9
Hamburg, 20146
Germany

DIW Berlin ( email )

Mohrenstraße 58
Berlin, 10117
Germany

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

University of Essex ( email )

Wivenhoe Park
Colchester, CO4 3SQ
United Kingdom

Nicolas R. Ziebarth

Cornell University ( email )

Ithaca, NY
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.human.cornell.edu/bio.cfm?netid=nrz2

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