So far this year cigarette sales are up compared to the same period last year, according to a new report from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. If the trend continues it will be the first annual increase in sales since 2005. Cigarette sales have been on the decline over the last decade, until now.
So why the sudden reversal? There are a couple of dominant theories, one being the improving economy. Americans have more disposable income thanks in part to lower gas prices. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded is down about $1.00 a gallon in the last year. That's putting money back in the pockets of American consumers right where they are most likely to buy a pack of cigarettes. More than 60% of cigarettes are sold at convenience stores, including gas stations.
But there’s another theory. While cigarette sales - until this year - had been declining, sales of electronic cigarettes are rising, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And there is new evidence linking e-cigarette use to tobacco cigarette use among young people.
And a recent study found that young people who use e-cigarettes are much more likely to become smokers than those who don't. The study, published in September in JAMA Pediatrics, found that more than one-third of young people who tried e-cigarettes ended up turning to tobacco cigarettes with a year.
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