Smoking prevalence by age

Bar chart showing current smoking prevalence by age group in 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

In 2020, smoking varied significantly by age group:10 prevalence was lowest among youth aged 15-19, and highest among adults aged 45-54 and aged 55 and older (Figure 1.6).

Between 1999 and 2020, overall prevalence decreased in every age group, though to varying degrees (Figure 1.7). The steepest declines were observed in the youngest groups, ages 15-19 and 20-24; in 2020, estimates for these groups were at their lowest since monitoring began.

Declines were less marked among older age groups, and more variable from year to year. Among those aged 55 and older, there was little net change over the last 15 years.

When examining differences between age groups and over time using repeat cross-sectional data such as this, consider that some of the differences between age groups could also be due to cohort effects (as well as age effects), in addition to changes over time.

Figure 1.6 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 1.6: Current smoking prevalence (%) by age group, 2020
  15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
2020

3.1

[2.0-4.3]

8.4

[6.7-10.1]

10.7

[8.0-13.4]

10.3

[8.0-12.6]

11.4

[8.9-13.8]

11.4 

[10.0-12.7]

Data source: Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2020.

Figure 1.7 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 1.7: Current smoking prevalence (%) by age group, 1999-2020
  15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
1999 27.7 35.4 29.9 29.9 24.0 14.8
2000 25.3 32.3 28.3 30.6 22.6 15.2
2001 22.5 [20.5-24.4] 32.1 [29.9-34.3] 25.0 [22.2-27.7] 25.0 [21.7-28.3] 22.8 [19.4-26.2] 12.6 [9.5-15.7]
2002 22.0 [20.4-23.5] 30.6 [28.6-32.6] 26.6 [23.7-29.4] 24.3 [21.6-27.1] 21.3 [19.1-23.6] 13.0 [10.8-15.1]
2003 18.3 [16.7-20.0] 30.5 [28.1-32.8] 27.1 [23.5-30.8] 24.0 [21.5-26.4] 21.6 [18.7-24.5] 12.0 [10.4-13.5]
2004 18.4 [16.5-20.2] 27.8 [25.5-30.1] 28.1 [24.6-31.7] 22.0 [19.5-24.6] 19.4 [16.9-22.0] 10.7 [9.1-12.2]
2005 18.0 [16.3-19.8] 26.0 [23.8-28.2] 23.7 [20.4-27.1] 23.2 [20.0-26.3] 19.7 [17.1-22.3] 10.1 [8.5-11.7]
2006 14.8 [13.3-16.4] 27.3 [25.2-29.4] 23.9 [20.7-27.1] 19.8 [17.4-22.2] 22.0 [19.7-24.3] 11.1 [9.7-12.5]
2007 15.2 [13.5-16.8] 25.5 [23.2-27.8] 21.5 [18.3-24.7] 20.4 [17.9-23.0] 23.4 [20.8-25.9] 13.9 [12.2-15.6]
2008 14.8 [13.2-16.4] 27.3 [24.9-29.6] 21.0 [18.0-24.1] 18.9 [16.2-21.5] 20.7 [18.0-23.4] 12.0 [10.4-13.6]
2009 13.0 [11.6-14.3] 23.0 [20.9-25.1] 22.5 [19.4-25.7] 18.3 [15.4-21.2] 20.3 [17.9-22.7] 12.3 [10.9-13.8]
2010 12.2 [10.8-13.6] 22.1 [19.8-24.3] 21.1 [17.9-24.4] 19.7 [16.8-22.5] 18.7 [16.0-21.5] 11.3 [9.8-12.8]
2011 11.8 [10.2-13.3] 21.5 [19.3-23.6] 23.8 [19.9-27.6] 15.7 [13.2-18.1] 20.2 [17.5-22.8] 13.4 11.7-15.1]
2012 10.9 [9.5-12.3] 20.3 [18.2-22.4] 21.8 [17.5-26.1] 17.9 [15.0-20.8] 16.7 [14.4-19.0] 12.2 [10.6-13.8]
2013 10.7 [8.9-12.5] 17.9 [15.6-20.2] 18.5 [14.2-22.3] 16.7 [13.2-20.2] 16.3 [13.3-19.4] 10.8 [9.5-12.1]
2015

9.7 [7.7-11.7]

18.5 [15.8-21.1]

14.4 [11.3-17.6]

15.4 [12.2-18.6]

13.0 [10.6-15.4]

10.6 [9.0-12.1]
2017

7.9 [6.4-9.3]

16.0 [14.0-18.0]

18.4 [13.6-23.2]

17.5 [13.2-21.8]

19.9 [16.0-23.7]

11.4 [9.3-13.5]
2019 5.1 [3.7-6.5] 13.3 [10.8-15.8] 14.6 [11.2-17.9] 11.9 [9.7-14.2] 11.3 [9.1-13.4] 12.4 [11.0-13.7]
2020 3.1 [2.0-4.3] 8.4 [6.7-10.1] 10.7 [8.0-13.4] 10.3 [8.0-12.6] 11.4 [8.9-13.8] 11.4 [10.0-12.7]

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