Research Summary

I am nationally and internationally recognized as an expert on the economics of tobacco and have been conducting studies related to costs of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure for over 25 years. My research team was one of the first groups to develop econometric models of smoking-attributable costs, and these models represent the state-of-the-art today. We have refined and improved these models and have used them to study lifetime smoking-attributable costs, smoking-attributable costs to Medicaid and Medicare, costs to each of the states and to each of California's counties, costs to Hispanics and Blacks, and the impact of tobacco control expenditures on healthcare expenditures in California. I am involved in ongoing research studying the economic cost of secondhand smoke exposure in California, the US, and China. I am also currently working on the development of economic cost models for other tobacco products. I served as an expert witness for 12 states in litigation that the Attorneys General brought against the tobacco industry to recover Medicaid costs. I was also an expert witness for similar litigation on behalf of Blue Cross Blue Shield. I regularly present my research on the economics of tobacco at national and international conferences and at tobacco control forums, and I have testified before the California legislature. I have also conducted research related to economic effects of tobacco use on health and healthcare costs in India and China. I have mentored a number of postdoctoral fellows, including Dr. John, who studied the cost of smoking in India, Dr. Yao, who has worked with me on the economic impact of secondhand smoke in rural China and tobacco purchasing behavior in China, Dr. Lindsay who worked with me on secondhand exposure of smokers, and Dr. Chambers, who is working with me on the economic impact of tobacco policies within the context of healthcare utilization among vulnerable populations with chronic disease. I have co-authored papers with all of my fellows.

Research Funding

  • September 19, 2013 - August 31, 2018 - Improved Models to Inform Tobacco Product Regulation , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH/NCI, Sponsor Award ID: P50CA180890

Education

Stanford University, Stanford, CA, B.A., 1976, History, Economics
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, M.S., 1981, Economics
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Ph.D., 1983, Economics

Honors & Awards

  • Hal Luft Mentoring Award in Health Services and Health Policy Research, UCSF, 2012
  • Helen Nahm Research Award, UCSF, 2010
  • Honorary Visiting Professorship, Beijing Normal University, Beijing,, 2001-2006

Selected Publications

  1. Hawes MR, Chakravarty D, Xia F, Max W, Kushel M, Vijayaraghavan M. The Built Environment, PTSD Symptoms, and Tobacco Use among Permanent Supportive Housing Residents. J Community Health. 2025 Apr; 50(2):369-376.  View on PubMed
  2. Alkhatib NS, Massad E, Rashdan O, Max W, Halloush S, Abumansour H, Alkhatib A, Karasneh RA, Al-Shatnawi S, Qirim T, Hawari F, Alkhatib S. The economic impact of tobacco smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in Jordan: estimating the direct and indirect costs. J Med Econ. 2024 Jan-Dec; 27(1):880-886.  View on PubMed
  3. Gu D, Sung HY, Calfee CS, Wang Y, Yao T, Max W. Smoking-Attributable Health Care Expenditures for US Adults With Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 05 01; 7(5):e2413869.  View on PubMed
  4. Wang Y, Sung HY, Max WB. Changes in e-cigarette use and subsequent cigarette smoking cessation in the USA: evidence from a prospective PATH study, 2013-2018. Tob Control. 2024 Apr 19; 33(3):365-372.  View on PubMed
  5. Yao T, Lea Watkins S, Sung HY, Wang Y, Gu D, Chen Lyu J, Lightwood J, Max W. Association between tobacco product use and respiratory health and asthma-related interference with activities among U.S. Adolescents. Prev Med Rep. 2024 May; 41:102712.  View on PubMed
  6. Rodriguez-Valadez JM, Tahsin M, Masharani U, Park M, Hunink MGM, Yeboah J, Li L, Weber E, Berkalieva A, Avezaat L, Max W, Fleischmann KE, Ferket BS. Potential Mediators for Treatment Effects of Novel Diabetes Medications on Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes: A Meta-Regression Analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024 Feb 20; 13(4):e032463.  View on PubMed
  7. Wang Y, Sung HY, Lea Watkins S, Lightwood J, Yao T, Max W. The association of current exclusive e-cigarette use and dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes with psychological distress among U.S. adults. Prev Med Rep. 2023 Dec; 36:102425.  View on PubMed
  8. Rodriguez-Valadez JM, Tahsin M, Fleischmann KE, Masharani U, Yeboah J, Park M, Li L, Weber E, Li Y, Berkalieva A, Max W, Hunink MGM, Ferket BS. Cardiovascular and Renal Benefits of Novel Diabetes Drugs by Baseline Cardiovascular Risk: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression. Diabetes Care. 2023 06 01; 46(6):1300-1310.  View on PubMed
  9. Lyu JC, Sung HY, Yao T, Jiang N, Quah ACK, Meng G, Jiang Y, Fong GT, Max W. Cigarette Gifting Among Nonsmokers in China: Findings From the International Tobacco Control China Survey. Nicotine Tob Res. 2023 04 06; 25(5):928-936.  View on PubMed
  10. Odes R, Alway J, Kushel M, Max W, Vijayaraghavan M. The smoke-free home study: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial of a smoke-free home intervention in permanent supportive housing. BMC Public Health. 2022 11 14; 22(1):2076.  View on PubMed
  11. Wang Y, Sung HY, Lightwood J, Yao T, Max WB. Healthcare utilisation and expenditures attributable to current e-cigarette use among US adults. Tob Control. 2023 11; 32(6):723-728.  View on PubMed
  12. Watkins SL, Pieper F, Chaffee BW, Yerger VB, Ling PM, Max W. Flavored Tobacco Product Use Among Young Adults by Race and Ethnicity: Evidence From the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. J Adolesc Health. 2022 08; 71(2):226-232.  View on PubMed
  13. Ferket BS, Hunink MGM, Masharani U, Max W, Yeboah J, Burke GL, Fleischmann KE. Lifetime Cardiovascular Disease Risk by Coronary Artery Calcium Score in Individuals With and Without Diabetes: An Analysis From the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Diabetes Care. 2022 04 01; 45(4):975-982.  View on PubMed
  14. Lyu JC, Sung HY, Yao T, Quah ACK, Jiang Y, Fong GT, Max W. Receiving and giving electronic cigarettes as gifts in China: Findings from International Tobacco Control China Survey. Prev Med Rep. 2022 Jun; 27:101763.  View on PubMed
  15. Gu D, Max WB, Yao T, Wang Y, Keeler C, Sung HY. Association between e-cigarette use and food insecurity among low-income adults. Tob Control. 2023 08; 32(e2):e212-e219.  View on PubMed
  16. Fang J, Ren J, Ren L, Max W, Yao T, Zhao F. Electronic cigarette knowledge, attitudes and use among students at a university in Hangzhou, China. Tob Induc Dis. 2022; 20:09.  View on PubMed
  17. Wang N, Yao T, Sung HY, Max W. The Association of Cannabis Use and Cigarette Smoking with Psychological Distress Among Adults in California. Subst Use Misuse. 2022; 57(2):193-201.  View on PubMed
  18. Keeler C, Wang Y, Max W, Yao T, Gu D, Sung HY. The Association of California's Proposition 56 Tobacco Tax Increase With Smoking Behavior Across Racial and Ethnic Groups and by Income. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 11 05; 23(12):2091-2101.  View on PubMed
  19. Kim KM, White JS, Max W, Chapman SA, Muench U. Evaluation of Clinical and Economic Outcomes Following Implementation of a Medicare Pay-for-Performance Program for Surgical Procedures. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 08 02; 4(8):e2121115.  View on PubMed
  20. Max W, Stark B, Sung HY, Offen N. Smoking-Attributable Doctor Visits and Emergency Room Utilization and Costs by California's Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community. J Homosex. 2022 Aug 24; 69(10):1760-1776.  View on PubMed

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