Thursday, January 19, 2012
“Our hope is that it will help inform those responsible for tobacco control policies, programs, advocacy, research, evaluation and surveillance to assess progress and update action plans, based on the best possible evidence about tobacco use in our country,” writes Barbara Riley, Propel’s executive director.
The report is divided into three sections: Tobacco Use Among Canadian Adults, Quitting Smoking, and Tobacco Use Among Canadian Youth. The report found:
- 16.7% of Canadians (approximately 4.7 million) were current smokers.
- Although prevalence is at an all-time low, the decline in smoking prevalence observed over the past 10 years appears to have slowed.
- Smoking prevalence was highest among younger adults (age 20-24), at 22.1%.
- Those with a secondary school education or less had double the smoking prevalence of university graduates.
- Daily smokers in Canada smoked an average of 15.1 cigarettes per day.
- Male smokers consumed approximately 3 cigarettes more per day than females. Sex differences in consumption appear to have remained fairly stable since 1999.
- Over 60% of Canadians who have ever been smokers have now quit.
- 6 in 10 smokers were seriously considering quitting in the next 6 months; 3 in 10 were considering quitting in the next month.
- 21.6% of students in grades 6-9 had ever tried a cigarette.
- The majority (64%) of smokers in grades 6-9 usually obtained their cigarettes from social sources.
- 12.2% of youth aged 15-19 were current smokers overall, with age-specific rates ranging from 5.0% for 15-year-olds to 17.5% for 19-year-olds.
- Daily smokers aged 15-19 smoked an average of 11.6 cigarettes per day.
For the first time, the report includes a supplement that outlines key tobacco control policy developments in Canada at both the federal and provincial levels over the past decade.
Source: Daily Bulletin, and Propel Centre for Population Health Impact