PERCEIVED ARSENIC-RELATED MORTALITY RISKS FOR SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS

Prolonged ingestion of arsenic in drinking water can increase the risks of dying of lung and bladder cancer, particularly for smokers. In a survey of arsenic hotspots in the United States, we elicited individuals' subjective mortality risks related to the presence of arsenic in drinking water. Using this data, we address whether smokers perceive mortality risks from this source differently from non-smokers. We find that those who have smoked at some point in their life have significantly higher perceived arsenic mortality risks than those who have never smoked, on average. We also find that the sample group of current smokers has higher average perceived arsenic mortality risks than those who have quit smoking. We model the decision to treat water for arsenic and find some evidence that current smokers are less likely to engage in this mitigating behavior than are ex-smokers or non-smokers even though their perceived risk is higher. We infer that smokers are either less risk averse or have a higher rate of time preference than non-smokers and ex-smokers. (JEL I0, D81, Q53)