Discussion
- Demographic Characteristics
Looking at the table below, it is clear that number of male smokers who have been surveyed for the study is higher than the number of female smokers. This is further indicative of the fact that the imposition of tobacco tax is likely to have a greater bearing on male smokers, than female smokers, since for the former, the act of smoking is something that comes far more readily or easily than it does for females who smoke. Tobacco tax is likely to impact the smoking behavior of males since they engage in this more often. The majority of the respondents are Saudi citizens while the remainders are not citizens of Saudi Arabia, and that majority of the respondents fall within the age group of twenty to twenty nine years. The majority of the respondent population enjoys excellent health, they hold a bachelor’s degree in various subjects and for most of the respondent population, they are married as well. A key revelation that has been made in the data contained in the table below is, that most of the members of the respondent population have an income of 5001 to 10,000 SR.
| Frequency (%) | |
| GenderMaleFemale | 154 (57.5 %)112 (41.8 %) |
| NationalitySaudiNon-Saudi | 155 (57.8 %)112 (41.8 %) |
| Age group20 – 29 y30 – 39 y40 – 49 y50 y + | 92 (34.3 %)10 (3.7 %)70 (26.1 %)91 (34.0 %) |
| QualificationHigh school or lessDiplomaBachelorPhD | 87 (32.5 %)17 (6.3 %)106 (39.6 %)57 (21.3 %) |
| Marital statusSingleMarriedDivorced | 94 (35.1 %)167 (62.3 %)6 (2.2 %) |
| Monthly Income< 5000 SR5001 – 10000 SR10001 – 15000 SR>15001 SR | 1 (0.4 %)103 (38.4 %)95 (35.4 %)65 (24.3 %) |
| Self-rated healthGoodExcellent | 77 (28.7 %)190 (70.9 %) |
| Smoking degree: ( I believe that I’m )Light smokersMedium smokersHeavy smokers | 9 (3.4 %)23 (8.6 %)234 (87.3 %) |
| How much money do you spend each month on smoking?500 or less / month500 – 1000 / month1000 – 1500 / month | 9 (3.4 %)111 (41.4 %)146 (54.5 %) |
| Current occupationClinicianPhysicianNon-ClinicianNon-PhysicianOther | 91 (34.0 %)59 (22.0 %)1 (0.4 %)8 (3.0 %)108 (40.3 %) |
| I mainly smoke (Types)CigarettesCigarsPipWater PipeElectronic CigarettesOther | 10 (3.7 %)159 (59.3 %)90 (33.6 %)3 (1.1 %)3 (1.1 %)2 (0.7 %) |
| How soon after you wake up do you smoke your first cigarette?Smoking within 1 hr after waking upSmoking more than 1 hr of waking up | 239 (89.2 %)27 (10.1 %) |
The majority of the participant population as indicated in the table above considers themselves to be very heavy smokers, and most members of the respondent population are seen to spend as much as 1000 to 1500 on the purchase of tobacco. With regard to profession, it has been indicated in the above table that some of the respondents are clinicians, some are physicians and some are neither of the two. The major portion of the participant population has however identified the category of “Other” when describing their profession, which goes to show that most of them are not engaged in scientific r clinical professional roles. When it comes to the type of tobacco that people like to smoke, it is clear from the analysis of the survey results that for most of the respondents, cigar smoking happens to be quite a favorite. Some of the other forms of tobacco that are smoked by the participant population are pipes, water pipes, cigarettes and electronic cigarettes. What has been indicated further in the data which has been provided in the table above is that most of the respondents tend to smoke their first cigarette or piece of tobacco, within a period of just one hour after having woken up.
- Smoking Experience
| The following reflects my personal experience with smoking | Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| I enjoy smoking | 1(0.4 %) | — | 1 (0.4 %) | 250 (93.3 %) | 15 (5.6 %) |
| smoking calms me down | 1 (0.4 %) | 1 (0.4 %) | 14 (5.2 %) | 147 (54.9 %) | 104 (38.8 %) |
| Smoking electronic cigarettes are more comfortable | 3 (1.1 %) | 16 (6.0 %) | 3 (1.1 %) | 144 (53.7 %) | 101 (37.7 %) |
| electronic cigarettes are better for my health | 2 (0.7 %) | 6 (2.2 %) | 91 (34.0 %) | 6 (2.2 %) | 162 (60.4 %) |
| electronic cigarettes are economically better | 5 (1.9 %) | 2 (0.7 %) | 4 (1.5 %) | 92 (34.3 %) | 164 (61.2 %) |
With regard to the smoking experience of the participants what the data provided in the table above appears to indicate is that for most of the participant population, smoking tobacco is quite an enjoyable experience. The data shows that most of the participant population enjoys the act of smoking and that for most of them, the act of smoking is something that helps them to calm down, to relax and to regain control over their senses. The data which has been provided in the above table also indicates that for most of the participant population, the smoking of electronic cigarettes in particular, is something that is a particularly comfortable experience. Some of the other revelations that are made by the data that is contained in the above table is that for most members of the participant population, the smoking of electronic cigarettes is good for their personal health. Most of them also happen to agree about the fact that the smoking of electronic cigarettes is a cost effective option and makes it possible for smokers to save a considerable amount of money on the act of tobacco consumption.
Descriptive Statistics
Looking at the table below it becomes clear that most respondents enjoy the act of smoking, most are in favor of smoking electronic cigarettes and consider it to be good for their health.
| Mean | Std. Deviation | |
| I enjoy smoking | 4.04 | .304 |
| smoking calms me down | 4.32 | .625 |
| Smoking electronic cigarettes are more comfortable | 4.21 | .829 |
| Electronic cigarettes are better for my health | 4.20 | 1.034 |
| Electronic cigarettes are economically better | 4.53 | .742 |
Thus it appears that smokers enjoy the experience that comes with the act of consuming tobacco. Tobacco intake induces in this a feeling of satisfaction and contentment which is why they are seen to engage in the intake of tobacco more often than not. It is indicated through the SPSS results as given above, that most of the participants consider the act of smoking electronic cigarettes to be far better than the act of consuming regular cigarettes or other forms of tobacco. Most members of the participant population consider the smoking of electronic cigarettes to be better for their health, to be more enjoyable than conventional forms of tobacco consumption not to mention being highly cost effective at the same given time.
- Impact of Tobacco Tax on the Behavior of Smokers
It is clear from looking at the table below that for most of the participant population, the imposition of tobacco tax would lead to a reduction in tobacco consumption
| Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree | |
| 1.No change | 1 (0.4 %) | 11 (4.1 %) | 148 (55.2 %) | 4 (1.5 %) | 103 (38.4 %) |
| 2.I would smoke fewer cigarettes | — | 15 (5.6 %) | 7 (2.6 %) | 147 (54.9 %) | 98 (36.6 %) |
| 3.I would change to a cheaper brand | 1 (0.4 %) | 58 (21.6 %) | 104 (38.8 %) | 97 (36.2 %) | 7 (2.6 %) |
| 4.I feel financial pressure when buying cigarettes | — | 1 (0.4 %) | 59 (22.0 %) | 198 (73.9 %) | 7 (2.6 %) |
| 5.I am planning to use electronic cigarettes instead of classic cigarettes | 3 (1.1 %) | 1 (0.4 %) | 59 (22.0 %) | 100 (37.3 %) | 103 (38.4 %) |
| 6.After-tax I can’t enjoy smoking | — | 58 (21.6 %) | 8 (3.0 %) | 193 (72.0 %) | 7 (2.6 %) |
| 7.I believe that tobacco tax prevents the conversion of young experimenters into regular smokers | — | 1 (0.4 %) | — | 160 (59.7 %) | 106 (39.6 %) |
| 8.I would try to stop smoking | — | 1 (0.4 %) | 4 (1.5 %) | 162 (60.4 %) | 99 (36.9 %) |
| Mean | Std. Deviation | |
| 1.No change | 3.74 | 1.036 |
| 2.I would smoke fewer cigarettes | 4.23 | .754 |
| 3.I would change to a cheaper brand | 3.19 | .816 |
| 4.I feel financial pressure when buying cigarettes | 3.80 | .473 |
| 5.I am planning to use electronic cigarettes instead of classic cigarettes | 4.12 | .844 |
| 6.After-tax I can’t enjoy smoking | 3.56 | .859 |
| 7.I believe that tobacco tax prevents the conversion of young experimenters into regular smokers | 4.39 | .511 |
| 8.I would try to stop smoking | 4.35 | .530 |
. The reduction in smoking as evident from the SPSS results would happen largely because of the financial pressures that are brought on by the imposition of tobacco tax. Most of the participants have stated through their responses that they are unlikely to enjoy smoking after the imposition of tax, that they would switch over the intake of electronic cigarette smoking, and that they may or may not change to a new tobacco brand, which is cheaper. As indicated through the data contained in the above table, tobacco tax as held by the respondent population, can prevent young people from taking to tobacco consumption too easily.
- Comparing impact of Tobacco Tax Imposition with Smoking Consumption Patterns based on Demographic characteristics
By looking at the table below, it can be said that on an average male members of the Saudi population who belong to the age group of twenty to twenty nine years, who hold a bachelor’s degree, who are mostly enrolled in professions other than that of clinician or non-clinician, who smoke cigars more than any other form of tobacco and who tend to smart smoking within an hour of waking up every day are people who likely to be quite significantly impacted by the imposition of tobacco tax
| Total score of Tobacco Tax Impact on Smokers’ behaviors | P-value | |
| Mean ±SD | ||
| GenderMaleFemale | 31.817 ± 5.22630.729 ± 1.689 | 0.017 |
| NationalitySaudiNon-Saudi | 28.784 ± 2.99934.911 ± 2.615 | < 0.0001 |
| Age group20 – 29 y30 – 39 y40 – 49 y50 y + | 31.054 ± 0.71727.444 ± 3.50426.130 ± 2.30735.912 ± 0.839 | < 0.0001 |
| QualificationHigh school or lessDiplomaBachelorPhD | 31.046 ± 0.42931.118 ± 2.39535.077 ± 2.76125.193 ± 0.915 | < 0.0001 |
| Marital statusSingleMarriedDivorced | 31.159 ± 1.33831.615 ± 5.05727.4 ± 4.336 | 0.067 |
| Monthly Income< 10000 SR10001 – 15000 SR>15001 SR | 30.971 ± 0.75935.716 ± 1.47825.359 ± 1.277 | < 0.0001 |
| Self-rated healthGoodExcellent | 26.818 ± 3.15333.239 ± 2.876 | < 0.0001 |
| Smoking degree: (I believe that I’m)Light smokersMedium smokersHeavy smokers | 29.75 ± 4.36730.261 ± 3.26431.539 ± 4.210 | 0.198 |
| How much money do you spend each month on smoking?500 or less / month500 – 1000 / month1000 – 1500 / month | 31.0 ± 2.23635.01 ± 2.5328.614 ± 2.93 | < 0.0001 |
| Current occupationClinicianPhysicianNon-ClinicianNon-PhysicianOther | 30.889 ± 0.67825.153 ± 0.86729.0 ± 0.034.375 ± 1.99635.01 ± 2.467 | < 0.0001 |
| I mainly smoke (Types)CigarettesCigarsPipWater PipeElectronic Cigarettes | 29.90 ± 3.63531.604 ± 5.19031.22 ± 1.03630.0 ± 4.35930.0 ± 1.0 | 0.644 |
| How soon after you wake up do you smoke your first cigarette?Smoking within 1 hr after waking upSmoking more than 1 hr of waking up | 31.485 ± 4.23930.346 ± 3.149 | 0.101 |
. The above table shows that many of the above respondents when faced with the imposition of a tobacco tax would take to the smoking of electronic cigarettes, as this is better for their health and cost effective too, and it is not likely that they would switch to a cheaper brand of tobacco, in order to continue with their smoking activities just as before. They would feel the financial pressures that are accompanied by tax imposition and would attempt to refrain from smoking altogether, rather than making adjustments in this respect.
