Use as a smoking cessation aid
Ever-users of e-cigarettes who were either recent quitters or current smokers that had tried to quit in the past 2 years, were asked “(In the past two years), did you use an e-cigarette to quit smoking?”; half (53.5%)a reported doing so.
Use of e-cigarettes to quit smoking did not differ significantly between males (57.4%)b and females (49.3%)c.178 However, there were significant differences by age group in use as a cessation aid,179 with higher prevalence among older smokers (Figure 12.23).
When considering all those who had ever used an e-cigarette (of any smoking status), 23.6%d reported using it as a quit aid within the past 2 years (21.7%e of males; 26.5%f of females).
Three-quarters (74.4%)g of smokers who had used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days were intending to quit smoking in the next 6 months, significantly greater than the 55.4%h of smokers who had NOT used e-cigarettes.180 Intentions to quit smoking in the next 30 days were not significantly different between past 30-day users (31.1%)i and non-users (26.1%)j of e-cigarettes.181
Figure 12.23 Data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 12.23: Use of e-cigarettes to quit smoking, among ever users who were either recent quitters or smokers who had tried to quit in the past 2 years, by age group, 2017
Age group |
15-19 |
20-24 |
25-34 |
35-44 |
45+ |
---|
Percentage of ever user/quitters |
50.3 [38.9-61.6] |
42.8 [34.4-51.1] |
43.4 [23.0-63.8] |
52.6 [34.9-70.4] |
66.7 [56.0-77.3] |
Data source: Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2017
Use to replace cigarettes
Current smokers (who had used e-cigarettes) were asked the following: “Sometimes smokers use e-cigarettes even when they are not attempting to quit smoking. Have you ever used e-cigarettes when you were not able to smoke or when you wanted to smoke fewer cigarettes?”
Overall, nearly half (44.6%)k of e-cigarette ever-users who were also cigarette smokers reported using an e-cigarette when they were unable to smoke, or to smoke fewer cigarettes.
This type of use was not significantly different between males (41.4%)l and females (48.8%)m,182 or between age groups183 (Figure 12.24).
When all current smokers were considered, 23.8%n reported ever using an e-cigarette to replace cigarettes (22.8%o of males; 25.1%p of females).
Figure 12.24 Data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 12.24: Use of e-cigarettes to replace cigarettes, among ever users who were current smokers, by age group, 2017
Age group |
15-19 |
20-24 |
25-34 |
35-44 |
45+ |
---|
Percentage of ever user/smokers |
43.1 [32.3-53.9] |
40.7 [33.3-48.1] |
44.6 [27.5-61.7] |
45.0 [24.7-65.3] |
46.0 [35.4-56.5] |
Data source: Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2017
95% confidence intervals for in-text estimates
a: 53.5 [45.4-61.6]
b: 57.4 [46.9-67.9]
c: 49.3 [36.6-62.0]
d: 23.6 [19.0-28.2]
e: 21.7 [15.9-27.5]
f: 26.5 [19.4-33.6]
g: 74.4 [64.4-84.3]
h: 55.4 [47.7-63.0]
i: 31.1 [19.2-43.0]
j: 26.1 [21.1-31.1]
k: 44.6 [37.0-52.3]
l: 41.4 [31.3-51.5]
m: 48.8 [37.5-60.2]
n: 23.8 [19.0-28.7]
o: 22.8 [16.6-29.0]
p: 25.1 [17.6-32.5]