Philip Morris
the Social Security Cost of Smoking
Fields
- Author
- Bunker, J.P.
- Shoven, J.B.
- Sundberg, J.O.
- Shoven, J.B.
- Area
- HAN,VICTOR/OFFICE
- Type
- REPT, REPORT, OTHER
- ABST, ABSTRACT
- CHAR, CHART, GRAPH, TABLE, MAPS
- ABST, ABSTRACT
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- Named Person
- Atkinson
- Bunker, J.P.
- Colditz
- Cowell
- Gori
- Hammond, E.C.
- Harris
- Hirst
- Kelly
- Levin
- Lubin
- Oster
- Schneiderman
- Shoven, J.B.
- Townsend
- Wright
- Bunker, J.P.
- Request
- Stmn/R1-025
- Document File
- 2023914805/2023915131a/Briefing Book H.R. 5041 Waxman Hearing 900712
- Named Organization
- Census Bureau
- Center Advanced Study Behavioral Science
- Congressional Office of Tech Assessment
- Dept of Labor
- Ford Motor
- Natl Bureau of Economic Research
- Nber Board of Directors
- Nber Conference on Economics of Aging
- Royal College of Physicians
- Social Security Administration
- American Cancer Society
- British Natl Health Service
- Center Advanced Study Behavioral Science
- Author (Organization)
- Natl Bureau of Economic Research
- Stanford Univ
- Litigation
- Stmn/Produced
- Master ID
- 2023914806/5052
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- Date Loaded
- 05 Jun 1998
- UCSF Legacy ID
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Document Images
let e(a) represent the fraction of inen who smoke as a ftsaction of age, and
2?(a) represant the mortality ratio of male smoker to nonsmoker as a function
of age, then
Q~(a)
1 fa(a)(1 t?(a))
and
Q$(a) - e(a) x (4s(a)
where C?M(a) is the anmzal death probability of male nonsmokers as a
function of age and QS(a) is the aaausl death probability for male
smokers. The formulas for vomen are identical with all the superscripts
changed to v's.
The appendix tables displaye tha assumptions for 1?(a) and I?(a) , derived
from 8ammond (1966), and for fa(a) and e(a) for the 1920 cohort, derived from
Harris (1983). They also show the results for QNS(a), QS(a), Q~S(a), and
QS(a). Table 2 offers some summary statistics based on these derived
life tables.
Our life tables for the 1920 birth cohort show that 85,798 males and 88,787
females out of 100,000 births live to age 20. It is well kaown that smoking
affects the mortality of vomen less than men. That is partially due to the
fact that women smokers smoke less, iabale less, and are more likely to smoke
filter cigarettes. Again, out of 100,000 births, 53,051 male smokers (who
began smoking at age 20) survive until age 65, whereas 67,464 male nonsmokers
survive until that traditional retirement age. Conditional on living to age
20, almost 79 percent of nonsmokers make it to 65, whereas slightly less than
7

2sbls 2
Lifs Emp.ctaacF, li.dim Age at D.ath,
And Svrviviag Populitioa at Ages 20 and 63
For 1920 Eirr.h Cohort
Susvivors
at age 20
out of Susvivors
at ag. 65
out of
Lif.
expectancy
Life
sxpsctaacy Isidisa
age of
d.ath '.S.dian
age of
dsath
100,000 100,000 conditioaal coaditioaai conditional conditional
births births on age 20 on age 65 oa age 20 oa ags 65
Smoksrs 85,758 53,051 68.7 78.8 70 77
Noasmokars 85,758 67,465 75.1 81.5 77 81
Wos.a
Ssoicars
88,787 '
69,303
77.2
84.6
79
84
Noasaokars 88,787 74,461 80.5 86.6 84 86
a

62 percent of smokers do so. At age 20, nale smokers have a life expectancy
.
6.4 years shorter than male nonsmokers, and a median age of death 7 years
youmger. Conditional on surviving to 65, male smokers have a
remaining
life
expectancy which is 2.7 years less than their nonsmoking cohort members. The
figures for women show that the life expectancy difference at age 20 is 3.3
years, while the difference at age 65 is 2 years.
Our life tablei cs++not sort out causality and correlation. It is
certaialy true that smokers would not become identical to nonsmokers if they
stopped smoking. Smokers drink more alcohol tban nonsmokers, have a higher
incidence of suicide, and, in general, may face higher mortality risks than
nonsmokers for reasons correlated with smoking but not caused by smoking per
se. Qe have not been able to separate these effects, although it is our belief
that most of the higher mortality risks faced by smokers are due directly to
the cigarette-consvmption. However, it should be kept in mind when
interpreting our results that we have attributed all of the mortality
difference to the cigarette consumption.
3. SIMLTIATION OF 'ffiE SOCIAL SECUBITI COSTS OF SMORI3G.
ae aY9mi*+~ the Social Security consequences of smoking for 100,000 man
born in 1920 and 100,000 women born in 1923. 'Ihe three year difference
approximates the average age gap in marriage for this cohort. The 1920 cohort
life tables compiled by Social Security are taken to be applicable to the men
and women in our study. Re calculate the Social Security outcomes separately
for single men, single women, and one and t.ro earner couples. We assume that
each person's probability of death is given by the life tables, and therefore
is independent of the status of their spouse. The rnzmbet of women who become
widowed in each year until the husbands retire is noted, and each "widow
cohort is then tracked as a separate population. This is necessary, because
9

at retireaent widows msist choose between a benefit basad on thair o+rn work
record and one based on that of their spouse. In the case of the one earnar
couples, we assume that the husband is employed until retirement or death. If
the husband should die before retirement, the widow is asstmod to Voric cmtil
rstirsaent or death.
We have not been very sophisticated in davaloping our earnings profiles.
The earnings series used are median aarnings for men and woaen vorldng full-
time year-round, tskan from the Cansus Bureau Current Population Seport P-60,
No. 142 (1982). Earnings before 1955 and 1982 are estimated using a related
series from the Depart:mant of Isbor's Employment, Hours, and Earnings report.
The earnings series are then adjusted to reflect a life-cycle pattern of
lifetime earnings, %ising Census data on mean incomes for different age groups
from Report P-60, No. 137. Our analysis for low waga earners exam{res those
who earn 60 percent of the median earnings profiles.
There are several factors vh3c3s could be added to our earnings series.
First. we do not take into account the effect of the iacraased morbidity of
smokers on their earnings pattern. This is probably a relatively minor
adjnstment, but one which is conceptually desirable. Second, nonworking wives
entering the workforce when widowed are assumed to immedistaly earn the median
(or 60 percent of the median) amount for their age. This is cert.zinly
optimistic regarding their prospects. Finally, we do not take into account
spells of uaamployment, employment in the uncovered sector, or disability.
The surviving members of the cohort are assumed to retire at aga 65 and
begin to recaive benefits based on the 1985 Social Sacurity law. Q* assume that
the initial benefit received is fully indexed for inflation for their remaining
life. The women in the simtsiations retire chree. years later, simply =e="lect:ng
that they are three years younger than the men. Because the median earnings of
man exceed those for women, the Social Security OASI benefit based on a man's
10

earnings history exceeds the benefit based on a voman's work record. ds a
result, husbands and widowers will always elect to take their own benefit.
Wives choose between their own benefit and oae-half of their husband's, while
widows may elect to receive their oxn benefit or the benefit which their
husband would receive were he alive and had not worked since the year he
actually died. In other vords, a voaan vhoae husband died in 1965 could taks
the benefit he would be receiving had he stopped working in 1965 and lived to
receive his benefit, or she could take her own benefit. In the tsro-earmer
cohort, her benefit is based on her earnings from 1940 to her retirement in
1988, while in the one-earner cohort her benefit is based on a shorter work
history, 1965 - 1988, since we assuae she only begins work upon her husband's
death. This means that a vidow's benefit may depend on when h.r husband died
(and in the one-e.raer case must depend on it), necessitating our keeping track
of the 'widov cohorts' mentioned above.
Qives over the age of 65 whose husbands are still alive will alsrays
receive one-half of their husband's benefit in the oae-earner family, since
they have no earnings history of their o.rn. In the txo-eaxaer case, wives-will
take their own benefit since their benefit exceeds half their husband's, given
our earnings series. All benefits are calculated in real dollars, so
coaparfuon of 1985 and 1988 benefits is valid.
The results for singles are shown in Table 3. All figures are stated in
1985 dollars, and the real discount rats used for cash flovs occurring at other
times is 3 percent. Rith those assumptions, the figures in the upper portion
of the table for single men with median wage profiles in this cohort show that
nonsmokers can expect to receive a net transfer from Social Security of $3,436,
while the expected benefits received by smokers fall $17,782 short of the
expected contributions. All of these figures are conditioaa]l on having survived
to age 20. The Social Security cost of smoking for single men with median
C
iI

Tabls 3
Present valus of Social S.cnrit7 Benefits and ?mus (in 1985 $)
And Intsrasl Rats of Rsturn to the Social S.curity Program
For 2ismb.rs of the 1920 birtb Cohort
Raal
Nst Intarnal.
Ezpsctsd F.zp.ctsd Present Rsts of
Present Prss.nt 14.t valu. Real Ratsira
value vatus b*.ctad Conditional Intarasl Conditional
of QASI of OeSI Present On Surviving Rats of On Surviving
a.n.fits Sass Value Until Ag. 65 Hstvrn Until Ags 65
Median Earnings Profile
NAM
Smokers 53,497 71,279 17,782 3,721 1.87 3.18
Nonsmokars 79,436 76,000 3,436 18,218 3.17 3.78
vom.n
Smk.rs
65,512
57,386
8,126
21,843
3.45
4.03
Nonsmokers 75,788 58,395 17,394 28,283 3.87 4.27
Low (60% Median) Earnings Profile
d.a
Smokers 41,378 50,342 8,964 8,918 2.25 3.57
Nonsmokers 61,441 53,433 8,008 20,130 3.53 4.15
Aom.n
~
Smokers 47,159 34,431 12,728 23,166 4.06 4.65 Q
~
Nonsmokers 54,556 35,036 19,520 27,801 4.47 4.88 CD
M'r
12

earnings patterns thus exceeds $21,000. The internal rats of return, which
equates the expected value of payouts and payins, is 1.87 percent real for
smokers and 3.17 percent for nonsmokers. If one only looked at those who
survived until 65, the rates of return would naturally be higher. In that
case, the real internal rats of return for median wag. aale smoicars in this
cohort is 3.18 percent, rrhereas the rate for nonsmokers is 3.78 percent. The
dollar difference in the net transfer between nale smokers and nonsmokers,
conditional on surviving to 65, is still about $14,500.
Table 3 indicates that the Social Security cost of smoking is smaller for
single women than for single men. In general single women get a higher rate of
return from Social Security for two reasons. First, they have longer life
expectancies, and, second, they have lower earnings and'the system is
progressive. Conditional on age 20, the diffsrence in the net transfer to
median wage women nonsmokers and smokers is slightly more than $9,000. The
real intaraal rate of return for smoking voman is 3.45 percent, while the
figure is 3.87 percent for nonsmokers. Conditiona7l on reaching age 65, the
dollar difference between smoking and not is about $6500 for median wage single
women.
The lower portion of Table 3 shows ttie results for single individuals with
earnings 60 percent of the median for their age and cohort. The loss due to
smoking in the expected transfer from Social Security is almost $17,000 for men
and $7,000 for women at this earnings level. Re conclude that the Social
Security cost of smoking is not terribly sensitive to earnings levels.
The corresponding results for one and two earner married couples with
median earnings profiles ars shown in Table 4. One earner couples receive
larger transfers and a higher rate of return from Social Securitq because of
the benefits received by the nonworking spouse. The Social Security expected
cost of smoking is similar for couples in either circnmstance. The net
13

Table 4
Present Value of Social Security Bsn.fits and 2sxas (in 1985 $)
.Aad Internal 8sta of Rst~ua to the Social S.eurity Progrm
For li.abars of the 1920 Birth Cohort
2S.disa Esraiags Profile
Real
14st Internal
FsF.ctad Ezp.etad Pres.at Bste of
Present Prueat Nst Valu. Real Return
vslue Value Fsp.atad Coaditionsl Zataraa.l Conditional
of OASI of OASI Present On Surviving Rita of On Surviving
Benefits T.xss valus Until Ag. 63 Return Until Age 63
Narriad (one saraar)
Both Smoks 118,223 79,466 38,757 81,270 4.40 5.41
Nonsmokers 149,229 81,004 68,225 95,872 5.14 5.63
Mala smoker 128,748 79,722 49,026 92,123 4.67 5.67
female nonsmoker
F.mal smoker 139,353
male nonsmoker 80,860 58,493 87,010 4.93 . 5:43
Married (two .uaars)
Both Smoics 126,687 128,664 -1,977 38,639 2.95 3.87
Nonsmokers 162,985 134,395 28,590 56,371 3.68 4.18
Male smoker 138,313 129,673 ' 8,640 48,103 3.22 4.04
femala nonsmoker
Female smoker 151,494
male nonsmoker 133,386 18,108 48,402 3.46 4.05
v02E: Figures ire per honsanold.
14

expected present value of participation in Social Security is $29,467 lower for
one earaer couples who both smoke relative to one earner couples where neither
spouse smokes. If only the man smokes, the loss in the expected transfer from
the system is $19,199, vhereas if only the wife smokes the loss is $9,732
relative to a one earner couple in which neither smokes. To put these figures
in perspective, one might note that the median earnings of 64 year old men in
this cohort were $20,315. Thus, the Social Security loss for both smoking
amounts to almost 1.5 years labor income. In fact, the loss in slightly
greater than that given that Social Security benefits are taxed more favorably
than labor income.
The nssobers for two earner couples are that their expected nst Social
Security transfer is $30,567 less if both spouses smoke than if neither does.
The real internal rate of return for two earner couples in which both smoke is
2.95 percent, whereas it is 3.68 percent if neither smokes. The cost of the
husband only smoking is $19,950, and the cost of the wife only smoking is
$10,482. For reference, the median aaaual earnings of women is about $12,500,
so the loss if they both smoke is roughly equivalent to 2.4 years of the wife's
earnings.
Table 5 contains the results for low wage one and tvo-earaer couples. For
c
one earner couples, we find that the cost of both smoking is roughly $22,500.
For two earner couples, the cost of both smoking is $23,500. Once again, the
cost is roughly twice as large for msn as it is for women. The dollar costs to
smoking are greater relative to earnings for low wage households than for
median earners.
The gain in Social Security benefits that accrue to the nonsmoker, or to
the smoker .Tho quits, represents an equal :uid opposite drain on Social Security
fnnds. This drain is only partially offset by the. increase in preretirement
N
0
N
W
W
N
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0
~
~
?5

If
Table 5
Prsssnt valise of Social Security Baufits and Taxes (in 1985 $)
And Intasaal Bzts of Utura to the Social Sacurity Prograa
For M.mbsrs of the 1920 Birth Cohort
. Lov (60% dsdian) Earaings Profil.
Real
8.t Intsrnal
Fsp.ctad Fzp.ctad Present Rsta of
Prasant Present Net vslne Beal Raurn
vs].ue vslua ExFectad Conditional Internal Conditional
of OASI of OASI Present On Survivia; Rsta of On Sur7iving
Banafits Tas.s vilu. Until Age 65 Raturn Until Ags 65
Marriad (one sasaar)
Both Smoka 91,761 53,146 36,614 70,896 4.78 5.81
Honssokars 115,531 56,327 59,204 81,313 5.50 5.99
Msle ssolcsr 99,952 55,300 44,652 79,101 5.05 6.07
faaala nonsmoksr
Fsale ssoic.r 107,878 56,241 51,637 74,672 5.29 5.79
nals aonsmokar
larried (tvo eaznars)
B.ah Smoke 96,843 84,772 12,071 45,609 3.47 4.43
Nonsmokers 124,085 88,469 35,616 58,131 4.13 4.70
Msla smoker 105,689 85,378 20,311 52,959 3.74 4.61
female noasmoltsr
Female saoicar 115,429 87,864 27,566 52,003 3.97 4.56
msla nonsmoker
*iOTE: Figures are per household.
N
0
/
:6
