Appropriate increases in tobacco taxes and prices are an essential component of comprehensive tobacco control strategies. This study investigates factors related to the use, sale, and distribution of cigarettes in Iran, focusing on the relationship between cigarette price and its consumption. This interview-based qualitative study was conducted among 20 participants, including cigarette smokers, retail shop owners, large-scale distributors, and an expert in tobacco control research. Seven themes were extracted from participant interviews, including the type and price of cigarette, the best time to sell cigarettes, profits from the sale of cigarette, affordability, rise in cigarette price and smokers’ reaction to it, lobbying and black-market sales of cigarettes, and the sale and distribution of cigarettes across the country. Although the price of cigarettes in Iran has shown some increases in the past decade, the timing of these increases are not predictable and the limited amount of these increases has not reduced the use of cigarettes. Following a price increase, consumers are more likely to switch from buying packets to single cigarettes, or buy a less expensive brand, then to quit. Moreover, increases in prices may encourage smokers and sellers to buy a large number of cigarettes and store them for a rainy day. Another adverse effect may be increased smuggling of illicit cigarettes to balance the pressure caused by rising prices. Our findings highlight two important aspects concerning cigarette pricing in Iran. First is the change in the type of purchase from the whole box of cigarettes to the single stick cigarette or swapping to less expensive cigarettes. Second, increase in cigarette price (either through taxing or regular increases) could be offset by flooding smuggled cigarettes into the market. Therefore, in addition to raising cigarette prices, reducing cigarette consumption rates in Iran requires the development and effective implementation of regulatory policies to control cigarette smuggling, reduce purchasing, and subsequently curb the use of this leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality.

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价格对德黑兰卷烟消费、分销和销售的影响：一项定性研究

适当提高烟草税和价格是综合烟草控制战略的重要组成部分。本研究调查了与伊朗卷烟使用、销售和分销相关的因素，重点关注卷烟价格与其消费量之间的关系。这项基于访谈的定性研究在 20 名参与者中进行，包括吸烟者、零售店老板、大型分销商和烟草控制研究专家。从参与者访谈中提取了七个主题，包括卷烟的类型和价格、销售卷烟的最佳时间、销售卷烟的利润、可负担性、卷烟价格上涨和吸烟者对此的反应、游说和黑市销售。卷烟，以及在全国范围内销售和分销卷烟。尽管伊朗的卷烟价格在过去十年中出现了一些上涨，但这些上涨的时间无法预测，而且这些上涨幅度有限并没有减少卷烟的使用。价格上涨后，消费者更有可能从购买一包香烟转向单支香烟，或者购买较便宜的品牌，然后戒烟。此外，价格上涨可能会鼓励吸烟者和销售商购买大量卷烟并存放以备不时之需。另一个不利影响可能是增加走私非法卷烟以平衡价格上涨带来的压力。我们的研究结果强调了伊朗卷烟定价的两个重要方面。首先是购买方式的改变，从整盒香烟到单支香烟，或者换成更便宜的香烟。其次，卷烟价格的上涨（通过征税或定期上涨）可以通过大量走私卷烟进入市场来抵消。因此，除了提高卷烟价格外，降低伊朗卷烟消费率还需要制定和有效实施监管政策，以控制卷烟走私，减少购买，进而遏制这种导致过早发病和死亡的主要原因的使用。