Cigarette consumption by sex

In 2017, average daily cigarette consumption was significantly higher among male smokers, at 14.9, than among female smokers, at 12.1.¹⁵ Between 2015 and 2017, consumption did not change significantly among either male¹⁶ or female¹⁷smokers (from 2015 estimates of 15.2 and 11.9, respectively).

During the time period from 1999 to 2017, sex 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).

See data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 1.8 data table with 95% confidence intervals

Average daily cigarette consumption*, overall and by sex, 1999-2017
	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]

*Among daily smokers

Data sources: Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey, 1999-2012; Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2013, 2015, 2017