Alberta

Alberta in 2020

  • Smoking prevalence: 8.9% (656,000 smokers) compared to 9.7% in 2019.
    • Males: 8.9% (164,000 smokers).
    • Females 8.9% (155,000 smokers).
  • Average daily cigarette consumption: 14.5 cigarettes per day, compared to 9.7 in 2019.
  • Average price per pack (20 cigarettes): $12.87.

Smoking prevalence

In 2020, smoking prevalence in Alberta was 8.9%, below the national average of 10.3%.

Figure 2.6 shows smoking prevalence, overall and among males and females, in Alberta from 1999-2020. Prevalence has declined substantially overall, although there were some time periods with little change (e.g., the mid-2000s and the mid-2010’s). Smoking was more prevalent among males in many of the years observed, although rates were similar among males and females in some years, including the most recent.

Line graph showing current smoking prevalence among males and females in Alberta from 1999 to 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 2.6 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 2.6: Current smoking prevalence* (%) among males and females, Alberta, 1999-2020
  Alberta Males Females
1999 26.0 27.1 24.8
2000 22.6 23.9 21.2
2001 25.1 [22.5-27.7] 27.9 [23.9-31.9] 22.3 [19.1-25.6]
2002 22.8 [20.4-25.2] 21.9 [18.7-25.1] 23.7 [20.4-27.0]
2003 20.0 [17.5-22.5] 21.0 [17.4-24.6] 18.9 [15.9-22.0]
2004 20.1 [18.2-22.0] 22.5 [19.6-25.5] 17.7 [15.2-20.2]
2005 20.6 [19.2-22.0] 23.0 [20.7-25.3] 18.1 [16.1-20.1]
2006 21.3 [19.0-23.5] 23.4 [20.3-26.5] 19.1 [15.9-22.2]
2007 20.9 [18.6-23.2] 21.9 [18.4-25.5] 19.9 [17.0-22.9]
2008 20.4 [18.3-22.6] 22.5 [19.1-25.9] 18.3 [15.6-21.0]
2009 18.0 [16.0-20.1] 20.1 [16.8-23.3] 15.9 [13.6-18.2]
2010 18.8 [16.7-21.0] 21.6 [18.2-25.0] 16.0 [13.6-18.3]
2011 17.7 [15.4-19.9] 20.1 [16.9-23.4] 15.1 [12.3-17.9]
2012 17.4 [14.8-20.0] 17.1 [13.1-21.2] 17.7 [14.6-20.7]
2013 16 [13.0-19.1] 18.9 [14.0-23.8] 13.1 [9.7-16.5]
2015 15.8 [13.5-18.1] 18.9 [15.2-22.7] 12.6 [9.8-15.3]
2017 18.9 [14.8-22.9] 18.6 [13.0-24.2] 19.1 [13.0-25.2]
2019 9.7 [7.6-11.9] 9.1 [6.2-12.1] 9.9 [6.7-13.1]
2020 8.9 [6.1-11.7] 8.9 [4.6-13.2] 8.9 [5.5-12.4]

*Includes daily and non-daily smokers.
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.

Figure 2.7 shows smoking prevalence by age group in Alberta, from 1999-2017. During this time, there was a net decrease in smoking prevalence in all age groups. However, declines in smoking were particularly steep among youth and young adults, with less change among older age groups.

Figure 2.7 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 2.7: Current smoking prevalence* (%) by age group, Alberta, 1999-2020
  15-19 20-24 25-44 45+ Overall
1999 26.4 39.9 28.0 20.1 26.0
2000 24.4 29.5 26.2 16.5 22.6
2001 24.1 [19.8-28.5] 34.5 [30.1-38.8] 29.1 [24.1-34.1] 19.0 [15.2-22.9] 25.1 [22.5-27.7]
2002 19.0 [15.4-22.6] 29.6 [24.5-34.7] 26.2 [21.6-30.9] 18.6 [15.0-22.3] 22.8 [20.4-25.2]
2003 18.2 [13.9-22.4] 30.7 [25.6-35.8] 26.3 [21.7-30.8] 11.8 [8.6-15.0] 20.0 [17.5-22.5]
2004 15.7 [12.1-19.2] 28.3 [23.7-32.9] 21.6 [18.1-25.0] 17.8 [14.8-20.9] 20.1 [18.2-22.0]
2005 18.9 [15.7-22.0] 27.1 [23.9-30.2] 25.8 [22.8-28.7] 14.9 [12.7-17.0] 20.6 [19.2-22.0]
2006 15.2 [11.8-18.6] 30.0 [25.0-35.0] 24.5 [20.0-29.1] 17.7 [14.6-21.3] 21.3 [19.0-23.5]
2007 20.1 [15.9-24.2] 27.5 [22.6-32.4] 23.1 [18.9-27.3] 17.7 [14.2-21.3] 20.9 [18.6-23.2]
2008 16.0 [12.2-19.7] 29.2 [24.2-34.2] 21.5 [17.2-25.7] 18.4 [15.4-21.5] 20.4 [18.3-22.6]
2009 12.4 [9.2-15.6] 25.6 [20.8-30.4] 20.8 [16.5-25.2] 15.0 [12.2-17.8] 18.0 [16.0-20.1]
2010 16.9 [13.1-20.8] 20.4 [16.2-24.6] 23.6 [19.4-27.9] 14.7 [11.8-17.5] 18.8 [16.7-21.0]
2011 8.3 [5.7-11.0] 24 [19.4-28.7] 18.6 [14.0-23.2] 17.2 [14.2-20.2] 17.7 [15.4-19.9]
2012 9.9 [6.9-12.8] 24.4 [19.2-29.6] 16.0 [11.5-20.5] 18.4 [14.9-22.0] 17.4 [14.8-20.0]
2013 8.8 [5.3-12.4] # 21.4 [15.5-27.2] 19.6 [12.9-26.3] 13.1 [10.0-16.2] 16 [13.0-19.1]
2015 ! 19.0 [14.3-23.7] 17.0 [12.6-21.5] 15.1 [12.0-18.3] 15.8 [13.5-18.1]
2017 7.0 [3.8-10.2] 21.1 [13.9-28.2] 25.1 [16.8-33.4] 15.0 [9.3-20.7] 18.9 [14.8-22.9]
2019 ! ! 10.4 [6.4-14.4] 10.6 [7.6-13.6] 9.7 [7.6-11.9]
2020 ! ! ! 9.8 [6.4-13.2] 8.9 [6.1-11.7]

* Includes daily and non-daily smokers.
# Caution: these estimates do not meet Statistics Canada's quality standards. Conclusions based on these data will be unreliable, and most likely invalid.
! Estimate suppressed due to unacceptable quality.
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.

Cigarette consumption

Between 1999 and 2020, average daily cigarette consumption in Alberta has generally fluctuated around 15, with some variation (Figure 2.8). Male smokers consumed 3-4 cigarettes more per day than female smokers in most years with available data, although the estimate for females was slightly greater in 2019.

Figure 2.8 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 2.8: Average daily cigarette consumption* (mean cigarettes per day) among males and females, Alberta, 1999-2020
  Alberta Males Females
1999 16.2 18.1 14.1
2000 16.6 18.4 14.7
2001 16.3 [15.0-17.5] 17.7 [16.2-19.2] 14.3 [12.8-15.9]
2002 16.4 [15.1-17.8] 18.8 [16.8-20.9] 14.2 [12.5-15.9]
2003 14.6 [13.4-15.7] 15.9 [14.0-17.8] 13.1 [11.9-14.2]
2004 14.4 [13.3-15.6] 15.4 [13.8-17.1] 13.1 [11.8-14.4]
2005 14.9 [14.0-15.8] 16.6 [15.3-17.9] 12.8 [11.8-13.9]
2006 15.9 [14.9-16.9] 17.1 [15.7-18.4] 14.1 [12.6-15.6]
2007 16.1 [14.8-17.5] 18.6 [16.5-20.6] 13.4 [12.0-14.8]
2008 14.2 [13.0-15.3] 15.7 [13.9-17.4] 12.4 [11.3-13.6]
2009 13.9 [12.7-15.0] 15.5 [13.9-17.1] 11.9 [10.6-13.2]
2010 14.9 [13.5-16.2] 16.1 [14.0-18.2] 13.2 [12.0-14.4]
2011 13.9 [12.8-15.0] 15.5 [14.0-17.0] 11.5 [9.9-13.2]
2012 13.9 [12.5-15.4] 14.3 [11.8-16.9] 13.6 [12.1-15.0]
2013 13.4 [11.8-15.0] 14.9 [12.3-17.1] 11.8 [10.2-13.4]
2015 14.7 [13.0-16.3] 15.3 [12.9-17.7] 13.7 [11.6-15.9]
2017 11.9 [9.6-14.2] 13.8 [9.8-17.8] 10.0 [7.6-12.3]
2019 9.7 [8.1-11.3] 8.8 [6.1-11.4] 10.4 [8.4-12.4]
2020 14.5 [7.8-21.2] ! !

*Among daily smokers.
! Estimates for males and females in 2020 suppressed due to unacceptable quality.
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.