Abstract
Tobacco control plays a central role in the development of the punctuated equilibrium theory. The proponents of the theory posit that this policy, like many others, develops through punctuations, namely the combination of periods of policy inertia, due to negative feedback effects, and drastic policy change, due to positive feedback effects. Yet little has been done to empirically test this claim. By relying on a unique dataset of policy changes in tobacco taxation and regulation across multiple countries over the last decades, the article tests the punctuation hypothesis in tobacco control. Findings show that tobacco control evolves through long periods of policy inertia, followed by short periods of drastic change, namely punctuations, thus providing further support for the punctuated equilibrium theory. This article presents the first large-N test of the punctuated equilibrium theory on tobacco control.
| Original language | English |
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| Journal | Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice |
| Early online date | 3 Aug 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 3 Aug 2018 |