FROM PRODUCTION TO RETAILING: POLICY-ORIENTED RESEARCH ON TOBACCO ECONOMY IN ARGE

描述（由申请人提供）：几十年来，烟草行业一直在宣传关于阿根廷烟草生产作用的经济“神话”，结果他们成功地破坏了阿根廷的烟草控制。这种情况促使建立强有力的法律制度来保护烟草生产。此外，阿根廷是该地区烟草价格最低的国家之一，而该国是美国烟草使用水平最高的国家之一。该项目旨在产生一系列当地证据，以反驳这些经济神话，并促进有效的税收政策，以减少烟草消费。具体的研究目标是：1)从法律、经济、社会和政治角度描述阿根廷烟草生产的状况；2)评估烟草税收和价格上涨政策的可行性及其对烟草生产、烟草使用和税收的潜在影响；3)评估阿根廷烟草作物替代的可行性；4)从控烟角度加强烟草经济研究能力建设。我们将制定多种研究策略，采用定量和定性设计来实现前三个目标：审查和分析烟草生产的法律框架，识别和深入采访烟草生产链的主要利益相关者，通过分析数据面板评估烟草生产对创造就业的影响，并通过审查内部行业文件和媒体传播分析与烟草税收和价格政策相关的烟草行业战略。我们还将评估烟草价格弹性以及烟草税和价格上涨对烟草税收、消费、烟草生产补贴和烟叶种植经济体的影响。将通过舆论调查评估社会对烟草价格上涨政策的接受程度。最后，我们将开展一项随机横断面调查，以评估阿根廷两个烟草种植省的小烟草种植者的生活条件，并评估烟草作物替代的农艺学和经济可行性。该项目还着眼于建立处理烟草经济问题的研究和宣传能力，这对于促进有效改变烟草税收和价格政策至关重要。它还将促进小烟农寻找可持续的烟草替代品。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Economic "myths" about the role of tobacco production in Argentina have been promoted by the tobacco industry for decades and as a result they have successfully undermined tobacco control in Argentina. This situation has led to the establishment of a strong legal system to protect tobacco production. Also, tobacco price in Argentina is one of the lowest of the region, while the country presents one of the highest levels of tobacco use in America. This project seeks to generate a body of local evidence to counteract these economic myths and promote effective tax policies to reduce tobacco consumption. The specific research objectives are: 1) to characterize the situation of tobacco production in Argentina from the legal, economic, social, and political perspectives; 2) to evaluate the viabilit of a tobacco tax and price increase policy and its potential impacts on tobacco production, tobacco use, and tax revenue; 3) to evaluate the viability of tobacco crop substitution in Argentina; and 4) to build capacity in tobacco economy research with a tobacco control perspective. We will develop multiple research strategies with quantitative and qualitative designs to meet the first three objectives: review and analysis of the legal framework for tobacco production, identification and in-depth interviews with the key stakeholders of the tobacco production chain, evaluation of the impact of tobacco production on the generation of employment through the analysis of data panels, and the analysis of tobacco industry strategies related to tobacco tax and price policy through the review of internal industry documents and media communications. We will also evaluate tobacco price-elasticity and the impact of tobacco tax and price increase on tobacco tax revenue, consumption, subsidies to tobacco production, and in the tobacco leaf growing economies. The social acceptance of a tobacco price increase policy will be assessed through an opinion poll. Last, we will develop a randomized cross-sectional survey to evaluate the life conditions of small tobacco growers in two Argentinean tobacco- growing provinces and we will assess the agronomical and economic viability of tobacco crop substitution. This project is also oriented to building research and advocacy capacity for dealing with tobacco economy issues, which will be essential to promote effective tobacco tax and price policy change. It will also facilitate the search for sustainable alternative to tobacco for small tobacco farmers.