Informality of markets is largely perceived as undesirable. Yet, ample evidence suggests that the informal sector contributes substantially in terms of income and employment in the entire developing world. In this paper, tax evaded income is invested in the informal credit market which in turn...

This paper investigates a previously unexplored behavioral response to taxation: whether smokers compensate for higher cigarette taxes by enrolling in food stamps. First, we show theoretically that increases in cigarette taxes can induce food stamp take-up of non-enrolled, eligible smoking...

This paper investigates a previously unexplored behavioral response to taxation: whether smokers compensate for higher cigarette taxes by enrolling in food stamps. First, we show theoretically that increases in cigarette taxes can induce food stamp take-up of non-enrolled, eligible smoking...

Sales of contraband cigarettes in Canada constitute a sizable component of the tobacco market. This illegal trade is associated with a loss in tax revenue and an array of illicit activities that involve gangs and organized crime. Various policy responses have been called for to counter this...

Illicit trade in tobacco products (ITTP) is big business in the United States and creates many harms including reduced tax revenues; damages to the economic interests of legitimate actors; funding for organized-crime and terrorist groups; negative effects of participation in illicit markets,...

Paper is available at: "https://ssrn.com/abstract=3322095" https://ssrn.com/abstract=3322095BOTEC Analysis surveyed 5,001 adult smokers in California from March 12 to April 13, 2018, about a year after the state tobacco excise tax increase on April 1, 2017. The purposes of the survey were to:•...

BOTEC Analysis surveyed 5,000 adult smokers in California from March 10 to March 29, 2017, right before the state tobacco excise tax increase on April 1, 2017. The purposes of the survey were to:• Measure awareness among smokers of the upcoming increase in the state excise tax• Discover...

Each year approximately 400 billion cigarettes, or one-third of all legally exported cigarettes, end up illegally smuggled across international borders. Cigarettes are the world's most widely smuggled legal consumer product. This report adds to the growing volume of evidence that firmly...

This paper investigates a previously unexplored behavioral response to taxation: whether smokers compensate for higher cigarette taxes by enrolling in food stamps. First, we show theoretically that increases in cigarette taxes can induce food stamp take-up of non-enrolled, eligible smoking...

We examine recent survey data from California to investigate smokers' intended responses to an increase in cigarette excise taxes rates, including tax avoidance and the economic crimes of tax evasion and illicit trade in tobacco products (ITTP). We estimate how tax avoidance, tax evasion, and...