Other tobacco use

Bar chart showing prevalence of use in the past 30 days for various tobacco products in 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Cigarillos (little cigars) were the most popular tobacco product other than cigarettes, with 1.7% of Canadians reporting use in the past 30 days (Figure 4.1). Cigar use was reported by 1.2% of respondents. Waterpipe (also called hookah or shisha) and chewing tobacco/snuff use were each reported by 0.5% (Figure 4.1). Pipe smoking was not reportable in 2020.

Use of cigars/cigarillos appears to have increased through the 2000s until a peak around 2008, after which prevalence generally declined, although the most recent years suggest a possible reversal of this trend (Figure 4.2). Use of other products has remained fairly low and stable over time throughout the years measured.

Figure 4.1 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 4.1: Prevalence of use (%) in the past 30 days for various tobacco products, 2020
  Overall
Cigarillos 1.7 [1.3-2.1]
Cigars 1.2 [0.8-1.5]
Pipe !
Chewing tobacco/Snuff 0.5 [0.2-0.8]
Waterpipe 0.5 [0.2-0.8]

! Estimate for pipe suppressed due to unacceptable quality.
Data source: Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2020.

Line graph showing prevalence of use in the past 30 days for various tobacco products from 1999 to 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 4.2 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 4.2: Prevalence of use (%) in the past 30 days for various tobacco products, 1999-2020
  Cigars/ Cigarillos* Chewing tobacco/ Snuff** Pipe Waterpipe
1999 3.4 N/A N/A N/A
2000 3.5 0.7 N/A N/A
2003 3.3 [2.9-3.7] 0.3 [0.2-0.4] 0.6 [0.4-0.8] N/A
2004 3.8 [3.4-4.3] 0.4 [0.3-0.5] 0.5 [0.3-0.7] N/A
2005 4.4 [3.9-5.0] 0.6 [0.4-0.7] 0.4 [0.3-0.6] N/A
2006 4.1 [3.7-4.5] 0.5 [0.4-0.7] 0.5 [0.3-0.7] N/A
2007 5.1 [4.6-5.6] 0.6 [0.5-0.7] 0.5 [0.4-0.7] N/A
2008 5.4 [4.9-6.0] 0.5 [0.4-0.6] 0.4 [0.2-0.5] N/A
2009 4.5 [4.1-5.0] 0.6 [0.4-0.7] 0.5 [0.3-0.6] N/A
2010 3.9 [3.4-4.4] 0.4 [0.3-0.6] 0.5 [0.3-0.6] N/A
2011 3.4 [2.8-3.9] 0.5 [0.3-0.7] 0.25 [0.2-0.3] 0.8 [0.5-1.1]
2012 4.1 [3.4-4.7] 0.5 [0.4-0.7] 0.3 [0.2-0.5] 0.9 [0.7-1.1]
2013 3.3 [2.8-3.8] 0.6 [0.4-0.9] 0.7 [0.4-1.0] 0.8 [0.5-1.1]
2015 2.5 [2.1-2.9] 0.4 [0.3-0.5] 0.5 [0.3-0.7] 0.7 [0.5-1.1]
2017 1.9 [1.4-2.4] 0.7 [0.3-1.2] 0.3 [0.1-0.5] 0.7 [0.5-1.0]
2019 2.8 [2.3-3.3] 0.4 [0.3-0.6] ! 0.4 [0.3-0.6]
2020 2.5 [2.0-2.9] 0.5 [0.2-0.8] ! 0.5 [0.2-0.8]

*Prior to 2007, cigars and cigarillos were grouped together in a single questionnaire item; from 2007-2020 they were asked as two separate items and combined in the analysis.

**In 2000, chewing tobacco and pinch/snuff were asked as separate questionnaire items and combined in the analysis; in 2003-2020 they were grouped together in a single item.

Estimates for pipe in 2019 and 2020 suppressed due to unacceptable quality.

Data sources: Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS), 1999-2012; Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS), 2013, 2015, 2017; Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey (CTNS), 2019, 2020.