SELF-INTEREST AND PUBLIC-OPINION TOWARD SMOKING POLICIES - A REPLICATION AND EXTENSION

Numerous studies report that self-interest has a non significant influence upon various political and social attitudes. In contrast, a recent article by Green and Gerken (1989) reports a California study showing that cigarette smokers are significantly more opposed than nonsmokers to public smoking restrictions and tobacco sales tax increases. The present article replicates and extends this analysis with data from two different states-Illinois (in 1984, N=458)-and North Carolina (in 1985, N=488)-and using analysis techniques that differ from and expand upon the California study. Despite these methodological differ ences, self-interest is again shown to have a significant influence on opinions concerning public smoking restrictions and taxation, as well as on several additional issues relating to smoking and tobacco. © 1991 by the American Association for Public Opinion Research.