Smoking status of e-cigarette users over time

The smoking status of ever e-cigarette users is presented over time in Figure 11.27. Between 2013 and 2020, the proportion of ever users who were never smokers doubled (with a particularly large increase observed between 2017 and 2019), while the proportions who were daily and non-daily smokers, respectively, approximately halved.

In the most recent survey waves, from 2019 to 2020, the only significant change observed within smoking status groups was a significant increase in the proportion of ever users who were former smokers in 2020.124-127

Line graph showing smoking status of ever users of e-cigarettes, age 15+, from 2013 to 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 11.27 data table with 95% confidence intervals

Figure 11.27: Smoking status of ever users of e-cigarettes (%), age 15+, 2013-2020
  2013 2015 2017 2019 2020
Daily smoker 45.1 37.4 37.8 24.1 [21.0-27.1] 21.0 [18.0-24.0]
Non-daily smoker 18.5 12.5 14.9 10.6 [8.4-12.8] 8.5 [6.6-10.4]
Former smoker 15.5 25.0 21.5 19.6 [17.1-22.1] 28.8 [25.6-31.9]
Never smoker 20.9 25.1 25.7 45.7 [42.5-49.0] 41.7 [38.5-44.9]

Data sources: Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2013, 2015, 2017; Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2019, 2020.

A similar pattern was observed over time among past 30-day users of e-cigarettes, though with more marked changes in some groups (Figure 11.28).

Between 2013 and 2020, the proportion of past 30-day users who were never smokers also more than doubled (again, with a particularly large increase observed between 2017 and 2019). Conversely, the proportion of past 30-day users who were daily smokers dropped drastically during this time, falling by more than half between 2017 and 2019.

The proportion of past 30-day users who were non-daily smokers remained relatively stable over this time period, but increased significantly between 2019 and 2020.128 The proportion who were former smokers also increased significantly between 2019 to 2020, which appeared to follow the general trend over the full time period.129 Changes in proportions between 2019 and 2020 among other groups did not reach statistical significance.130,131

Line graph showing smoking status of past 30-day users of e-cigarettes, age 15+, from 2013 to 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 11.28 data table with 95% confidence intervals

Figure 11.28: Smoking status of past 30-day users of e-cigarettes (%), age 15+, 2013-2020
  2013 2015 2017 2019 2020
Daily smoker 59.3 47.3 48.6 18.8 [14.4-23.3] 25.8 [19.2-32.4]
Non-daily smoker 18.3 15.5 16.0 19.5 [14.1-24.8] 10.8 [7.4-14.2]
Former smoker 12.4 24.3 20.0 25.0 [20.0-30.0] 33.3 [27.3-39.3]
Never smoker 9.9 12.8 15.5 36.7 [31.4-42.0] 30.1 [25.5-34.8]

Data sources: Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2013, 2015, 2017; Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2019, 2020.

Line graph showing smoking status of daily users of e-cigarettes, age 15+, from 2015 to 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Between 2015 and 2020, the proportion of daily users who were current smokers decreased steadily, from comprising more than half of daily users to one-quarter (Figure 11.29). In contrast, the proportion who were former smokers increased to comprise over half of daily users. The proportion who were never smokers doubled between 2017 and 2019/2020, despite comprising the smallest group.

From 2019 to 2020, none of the changes in proportions among daily e-cigarette users were significant.132-134

Figure 11.29 data table with 95% confidence intervals

Figure 11.29: Smoking status of daily users of e-cigarettes (%), age 15+, 2015-2020
  2015 2017 2019 2020
Current smoker* 55.8 46.5 34.4 [26.5-42.3] 25.6 [18.4-32.9]
Former smoker 42.1 45.2 47.0 [38.3-55.6] 55.5 [47.2-63.7]
Never smoker ! 8.3 18.7 [13.2-24.1] 18.9 [13.9-23.9]

*Includes daily and non-daily smokers.
! Estimate for never smokers in 2015 suppressed due to unacceptable quality.
Data sources: Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2015, 2017; Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2019, 2020.