One in five respondents (20.1%a) reported that at least one person in their household was a cigarette smoker. However, the vast majority of respondents (94.0%b) reported that no one smoked inside their home on a daily or almost daily basis; 6.0%c reported that someone smoked inside their home every day or almost every day (4.3%d reported one person; 1.5%e reported two; 0.2%f reported three or more).
Household smoking restrictions
In homes where no one smoked daily, 5.3%g of respondents said that smoking was allowed inside their home. Respondents who reported smoking in the home (someone smoked daily inside their home or smoking was allowed in their home) were asked whether smoking was restricted in any way; 42.9% said that there was some restriction on smoking inside their home.
Exposure to secondhand smoke
Not including their own smoking, six out of ten respondents (57.7%h) reported being exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) sometime in the past month, including 13.4%i who reported being exposed either every day or almost every day (Figure 5.1).
Reporting any SHS exposure in the past month varied significantly by age,44 sex,45 and smoking status.46 As shown in Figure 5.2, SHS exposure was more prevalent among males (compared to females), youth and young adults (compared to older age groups), and current smokers (compared to former and never smokers).
Figure 5.1 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Frequency of exposure to secondhand smoke in the past month, 2015
Never |
42.3 [40.8-43.9] |
At least once |
26.2 [24.7-27.6] |
Weekly |
18.1 [16.8-19.3] |
Almost every day |
6.2 [5.4-7.0] |
Every day |
7.2 [6.3-8.2] |
Data source: Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2015

Figure 5.2 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Any exposure to secondhand smoke in the past month, 2015
Males |
61.8 [59.6-64.1] |
Females |
53.6 [51.6-55.7] |
|
|
Age 15-19 |
80.2 [77.5-82.8] |
Age 20-24 |
81.2 [78.5-83.8] |
Age 25-34 |
71.0 [66.6-75.5] |
Age 35-44 |
62.2 [57.8-66.6] |
Age 45+ |
45.2 [43.0-47.5] |
|
|
Current smoker |
78.1 [74.4-81.7] |
Former smoker |
53.3 [50.2-56.3] |
Never smoker |
55.3 [53.2-57.4] |
Data source: Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2015.
95% confidence intervals for in-text estimates
a: 20.1 [18.7-21.4]
b: 94.0 [93.3-94.7]
c: 6.0 [5.3-6.7]
d: 4.3 [3.6-4.9]
e: 1.5 [1.1-1.9]
f: 0.2 [0.1-0.3]
g: 5.3 [4.5-6.1]
h: 57.7 [56.1-59.2]
i: 13.4 [12.2-14.6]