Cigarette consumption among males and females

In 2020, average daily cigarette consumption was significantly higher among male smokers, at 13.3, than  among female smokers, at 10.2.13 Between 2019 and 2020, consumption did not change significantly among either male14 or female15  smokers (from 2019 estimates of 12.9 and 10.5, respectively).

During the time period from 1999 to 2020, differences appear to have remained relatively stable: males smoked, on average, about 3 cigarettes more per day than females, although this varied somewhat from year to year (Figure 1.8).

Line graph showing average daily cigarette consumption, overall and among males and females, from 1999 to 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 1.8 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 1.8: Average daily cigarette consumption*(mean cigarettes per day), overall and among males and females, 1999-2020
  Overall Males Females
1999 17.4 18.6 15.9
2000 16.8 19.0 14.4
2001 16.2 [15.6-16.7] 17.1 [16.3-18.0] 15.0 [14.2-15.8]
2002 16.4 [15.9-17.0] 17.9 [17.3-18.6] 14.8 [14.1-15.5]
2003 15.9 [15.3-16.4] 17.3 [16.4-18.1] 14.0 [13.4-14.6]
2004 15.2 [14.6-15.8] 16.4 [15.5-17.3] 13.8 [13.0-14.6]
2005 15.7 [15.0-16.4] 17.2 [16.2-18.1] 13.7 [12.7-14.8]
2006 15.5 [14.9-16.1] 16.9 [16.1-17.7] 13.8 [13.1-14.6]
2007 15.5 [14.9-16.1] 17.0 [16.3-17.8] 13.7 [12.8-14.6]
2008 14.9 [14.3-15.5] 16.4 [15.5-17.4] 13.0 [12.3-13.6]
2009 14.5 [13.9-15.1] 15.8 [15.0-16.5] 12.9 [12.1-13.7]
2010 15.1 [14.4-15.7] 16.4 [15.5-17.3] 13.2 [12.1-14.2]
2011 14.4 [13.7-15.0] 15.2 [14.2-16.2] 13.3 [12.4-14.2]
2012 15.0 [14.2-15.8] 16.8 [15.2-17.9] 12.7 [11.7-13.7]
2013 13.9 [13.3-14.6] 15.2 [14.3-16.2] 12.5[11.6-13.4]
2015 13.8 [12.9-14.6] 15.2 [14.0-16.3] 11.9 [10.7-13.1]
2017 13.7 [12.6-14.7] 14.9 [13.5-16.4] 12.1 [10.5-13.7]
2019 11.7 [10.8-12.6] 12.9 [11.3-14.5] 10.5 [9.6-11.4]
2020 12.5 [11.3-13.7] 13.3 [11.9-14.7] 10.2 [9.0-11.3]

*Among daily smokers.

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.

Note: CTNS asked respondents to self-report "Gender" with response options Male, Female, or Specify other, while CTADS/CTUMS recorded sex of respondents.