The effects of e‐cigarette minimum legal sale age laws on youth substance use.

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of the effects of e-cigarette minimum legal sale age (MLSA) laws on youth substance use. The study employs a difference-in-differences framework to estimate the impact of these laws on youth smoking, drinking, and marijuana use. The authors also examine the dynamic impacts of the laws and their effects on youth smoking behaviors once they have aged out of the restrictions.

Key Points:

* The study finds that e-cigarette MLSA laws increased youth smoking participation by about 1.1 percentage points, with most of the positive effects driven by boys and similar effects between 9th and 10th graders versus 11th and 12th graders.
* The laws had little effect on youth drinking, binge drinking, and marijuana use.
* The increase in youth smoking caused by e-cigarette MLSA laws appears to fade once youth age out of the restrictions.
* The study suggests that some portion of the decrease in e-cigarette use may come at the expense of higher conventional cigarette use, at least in the short-term until youth have aged out of the restrictions.
* The authors caution that if e-cigarettes are only 5% as harmful as traditional cigarettes, then e-cigarette MLSA laws leading to increased smoking may cause greater harm than benefits.
* The study highlights the need for a balanced approach to e-cigarette regulation that considers both the potential benefits and harms of these products.

Main Message:
The text presents a comprehensive analysis of the effects of e-cigarette MLSA laws on youth substance use. The study finds that while the laws increased youth smoking participation, they had little effect on other forms of substance use. The authors caution that a balanced approach to e-cigarette regulation is necessary to ensure that any potential benefits of these products are weighed against the potential harms. Overall, the text underscores the need for further research to inform policy decisions around e-cigarette regulation.

Dave D, Feng B, Pesko MF. The effects of e‐cigarette minimum legal sale age laws on youth substance use. Health Economics. 2019;28(3):419-436. doi:10.1002/hec.3854