Quebec

Quebec in 2020

  • Smoking prevalence: 12.2% (837,000 smokers), compared to 12.5% in 2019.
    • Males 14.5% (512,000 smokers).
    • Females 10.0% (361,000 smokers).
  • Average daily cigarette consumption 11.8 cigarettes per day, compared to 13.2 in 2019.
  • Average price per pack (20 cigarettes): $10.23.

Smoking prevalence

In 2020, smoking prevalence in Quebec was 12.2%, above the national average of 10.3%.

Figure 2.18 shows smoking prevalence, overall and among males and females, in Quebec from 1999-2020. During this time, prevalence appeared to decline fairly steadily, and more steeply than in most other provinces. Prevalence was similar among males and females in many years, although males had higher smoking rates in some years, and recent estimates appear to be more variable.

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

Figure 2.18 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 2.18: Current smoking prevalence* (%) among males and females, Quebec, 1999-2020
  Quebec Males Females
1999 30.3 32.0 28.7
2000 28.2 28.3 28.1
2001 24.1 [21.9-26.3] 25.1 [21.8-28.4] 23.1 [20.1-26.1]
2002 25.8 [23.8-27.8] 27.9 [24.5-31.2] 23.9 [21.1-26.7]
2003 24.6 [22.2-27.0] 27.2 [23.5-30.8] 22.1 [19.1-25.2]
2004 22.2 [19.8-24.5] 22.1 [18.8-25.5] 22.2 [19.3-25.2]
2005 22.2 [19.8-24.6] 22.4 [19.1-25.7] 21.9 [18.6-25.3]
2006 20.1 [18.2-22.0] 19.7 [16.8-22.6] 20.5 [17.9-23.0]
2007 21.7 [19.4-24.1] 22.2 [19.0-25.3] 21.3 [18.2-24.5]
2008 19.1 [17.1-21.1] 19.5 [16.5-22.6] 18.7 [15.9-21.6]
2009 20.7 [18.5-22.9] 23.7 [20.1-27.2] 17.9 [15.1-20.6]
2010 17.8 [15.8-20.0] 21.4 [18.1-24.7] 14.3 [11.9-16.7]
2011 19.8 [17.7-21.9] 21.0 [17.6-24.4] 18.7 [15.8-21.5]
2012 17.1 [14.8-19.5] 19.4 [16.0-22.8] 14.9 [11.9-17.8]
2013 17.1 [14.4-19.7] 17.9 [13.9-21.8] 16.3 [13.0-19.6]
2015 14.2 [11.9-16.5] 17.8 [13.9-21.6] 10.7 [8.1-13.3]
2017 15.7 [12.4-19.1] 17.4 [12.0-22.8] 14.1 [10.0-18.2]
2019 12.5 [10.6-14.3] 11.6 [8.9-14.3] 13.3 [10.6-16.0]
2020 12.2 [10.2-14.3] 14.5 [11.3-17.7] 10.0 [7.4-12.6]

* 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 2.19 shows smoking prevalence by age group in Quebec, from 1999-2020. While data for the most recent years is not reportable for youth aged 15-19 or young adults aged 20-24, the available data indicate large and steady decreases among these age groups up to 2017. Smoking prevalence also approximately halved between 1999 and 2020 among those aged 25-44 and aged 45 and older.

Figure 2.19 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 2.19: Current smoking prevalence* (%) by age group, Quebec, 1999-2020
  15-19 20-24 25-44 45+ Overall
1999 35.7 39.4 33.4 24.9 30.3
2000 29.6 38.5 34.1 21.1 28.2
2001 28.6 [24.2-32.9] 32.2 [27.5-37.0] 30.8 [26.3-35.2] 16.4 [13.0-19.9] 24.1 [21.9-26.3]
2002 32.0 [24.5-36.5] 36.2 [30.8-41.5] 28.5 [24.3-32.6] 20.9 [17.5-24.3] 25.8 [23.8-27.8]
2003 25.5 [21.0-30.0] 35.8 [30.6-41.0] 29.8 [25.1-34.5] 18.6 [15.1-22.0] 24.6 [22.2-27.0]
2004 24.1 [20.3-27.9] 33.5 [29.0-38.0] 28.1 [23.4-32.8] 15.6 [12.6-18.6] 22.2 [19.8-24.5]
2005 22.8 [18.8-26.8] 31.7 [27.0-36.4] 26.3 [21.6-31.0] 17.5 [14.3-20.8] 22.2 [19.8-24.6]
2006 18.3 [15.0-21.7] 29.7 [25.4-34.0] 19.3 [15.2-23.4] 19.4 [16.5-22.4] 20.1 [18.2-22.0]
2007 17.4 [14.0-20.9] 32.2 [26.8-37.5] 24.7 [20.4-29.1] 18.8 [15.8-21.9] 21.7 [19.4-24.1]
2008 16.6 [13.0-20.2] 30.7 [25.9-35.5] 22.9 [18.6-27.2] 15.4 [12.7-18.1] 19.1 [17.1-21.1]
2009 18.1 [14.8-21.4] 30.2 [25.2-35.3] 22.2 [17.4-26.9] 18.8 [15.9-21.8] 20.7 [18.5-22.9]
2010 15.0 [11.8-18.1] 23.6 [19.3-28.0] 22.4 [17.6-27.3] 14.5 [12.0-17.0] 17.8 [15.8-20.0]
2011 17.3 [13.5-21.0] 23.2 [18.9-27.5] 24.3 [19.7-28.7] 17.0 [13.9-20.0] 19.8 [17.7-21.9]
2012 13.4 [10.1-16.7] 22.0 [18.0-26.1] 20.4 [15.2-25.6] 14.9 [12.1-17.8] 17.1 [14.8-19.5]
2013 13.9 [ 10.0-17.7] 18.4 [13.4-23.5] 22.9 [17.0-28.8] 13.8 [10.8-16.8] 17.1 [14.4-19.7]
2015 12.9 [7.7-18.1] 20.3 [14.7-25.8] 14.6 [10.3-18.9] 13.2 [10.1-16.4] 14.2 [11.9-16.5]
2017 8.3 [5.4-11.1] 19.6 [15.2-4.1] 20.6 [13.0-8.3] 13.2 [9.0-17.4] 15.7 [12.4-19.1]
2019 ! ! 14.0 [9.6-18.3] 12.3 [10.1-14.5] 12.5 [10.6-14.3]
2020 ! ! 13.9 [9.5-18.3] 12.7 [10.0-15.3] 12.2 [10.2-14.3]

* Includes daily and non-daily smokers.
! Estimates for age 15-19 and age 20-24 in 2019, 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.

Cigarette consumption

Between 1999 and 2020, average daily cigarette consumption in Quebec decreased by more than 7 cigarettes, though there was little change for a number of years until the mid-2010s (Figure 2.20). During this time period, male smokers generally consumed 2-4 cigarettes more per day than female smokers.

Figure 2.20 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 2.20: Average daily cigarette consumption* (mean cigarettes per day) by sex, Quebec, 1999-2020
  Quebec Males Females
1999 19.1 20.0 18.2
2000 17.6 20.1 15.1
2001 17.3 [16.3-18.4] 18.3 [16.8-19.9] 16.3 [14.9-17.7]
2002 17.6 [16.4-18.7] 18.9 [17.3-20.6] 16.1 [14.8-17.4]
2003 16.8 [15.8-17.9] 18.8 [17.3-20.3] 14.4 [13.3-15.5]
2004 15.5 [14.4-16.6] 17.5 [15.5-19.6] 13.7 [12.5-14.9]
2005 16.5 [15.4-17.7] 18.4 [16.5-20.4] 14.5 [13.2-15.8]
2006 15.6 [14.6-16.6] 16.4 [14.8-17.9] 14.9 [13.6-16.2]
2007 15.8 [14.7-17.0] 17.2 [15.4-19.0] 14.3 [12.8-15.7]
2008 14.9 [13.9-16.0] 15.9 [14.4-17.4] 14.0 [12.6-15.4]
2009 15.4 [14.2-16.6] 16.6 [15.0-18.2] 13.8 [12.2-15.5]
2010 15.1 [13.8-16.4] 16.1 [14.2-18.1] 13.2 [11.6-14.9]
2011 15.4 [14.0-16.7] 15.5 [14.0-17.0] 15.2 [13.2-17.3]
2012 15.7 [14.4-17.0] 17.6 [15.8-19.3] 13.1 [11.5-14.7]
2013 15.6 [14.1-17.1] 16.5 [14.5-18.5] 14.5 [12.1-16.9]
2015 14.3 [12.6-15.9] 14.7 [12.6-16.8] 13.4 [10.6-16.1]
2017 13.6 [11.9-15.4] 15.3 [12.7-17.9] 11.9 [9.3-14.6]
2019 13.2 [11.6-14.7] 15.2 [12.9-17.5] 11.5 [9.4-13.6]
2020 11.8 [9.7-13.8] 12.6 [9.7-15.5] 10.7 [8.0-13.4]

*Among 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.