The Impact of Non-cognitive Skills on Cigarette Consumption Among Youth

Scientists have proven that tobacco consumption negatively affects an individual's health. Despite a decreasing trend in tobacco consumption in the Russian Federation, the issue of smoking has become more acute with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the fact that cigarette consumers are at a higher risk of experiencing a more severe course of the disease compared to non-smokers. In recent years, the topic of the influence of non-cognitive skills on human activity in various spheres of economic and social behavior is gaining increasing popularity in research. The research aims to study the impact of non-cognitive skills on cigarette consumption among young people in the Russian Federation. The practical significance of the study lies in its potential to help expand government policies to counter tobacco consumption among youth by developing a more comprehensive approach to addressing the issue of forming negative habits among the population. The sample consists of 1190 youth representatives aged 18 to 35 in the first year of the survey. The data are panel data for the period 2016-2018, cleaned of missing values in explanatory variables. To test hypotheses regarding the influence of non-cognitive skills on cigarette consumption, it is proposed to use probit models with random effects and censored regression models with random effects, applying the Heckman correction procedure. In conclusion, conscientiousness had a positive influence on the probability of abstinence for both genders and across generations; neuroticism was significant only for men and individuals born before 1990, reducing the probability of abstinence; extraversion was significant only for women and individuals born after 1990, decreasing the probability of refraining from smoking; openness to experience was significant only for those born before 1990, reducing the probability of abstinence; agreeableness was significant only for individuals born before 1990. Speaking about consumption levels, conscientiousness reduces consumption levels for men and those born after 1990; neuroticism was insignificant; extraversion was a significant factor only for women, increasing consumption levels; openness to experience reduced consumption levels in all groups; agreeableness was an insignificant factor. Thus, it can be concluded that developing programs that further enhance non-cognitive skills, especially diligence and industriousness, in combination with existing anti-tobacco epidemic policies, may yield more effective results in combating smoking.