Youth in grades 7-9, in 2016-17
- 8.6% of students in grades 7-9 had ever tried a cigarette.
- 1.0% of students in grades 7-9 were current smokers overall, varying by grade.
- Similar proportions were daily (0.4%) and non-daily (0.5%) smokers.
- Smoking prevalence did not differ significantly between males (1.1%) and females (0.8%).
- One-third of never-smokers in grades 7-9 were classified as susceptible to smoking.
- Daily smokers in grades 7-9 smoked an average of 7.5 cigarettes per day.
- 4.7% of students in grades 7-9 had ever smoked a cigar or cigarillo.
- Most smokers in grades 7-9 usually obtained their cigarettes from social sources.
- Three-quarters of current smokers in grades 7-9 reported ever trying to quit smoking.
Youth aged 15-19, in 2017
- One in six (16.4%) youth aged 15-19 reported ever having smoked a whole cigarette.
- 7.9% were current smokers overall, with age-specific rates ranging from 4.1% among 15- and 16-year-olds to 14.4% of 19-year-olds.
- Daily smoking (2.9%) accounted for less than half of youth prevalence (4.9% non-daily).
- Prevalence was significantly higher among males (9.7%) than females (5.9%).
- Daily smokers aged 15-19 smoked an average of 9.4 cigarettes per day.
- 16% of youth aged 15-19 had ever smoked a cigarillo, 10% had ever smoked a cigar, and 10% had ever used a waterpipe.
- Sex differences were apparent: 16% of males and 5% of females had smoked a cigar, while 21% of males and 10% of females had smoked a cigarillo.
- 44% of smokers aged 15-18 usually bought their cigarettes from stores, while 37% were given cigarettes by another person, and one in five obtained them through “other” sources.
- Six out of ten smokers aged 15-19 were seriously considering quitting in the next 6 months.
- Half of smokers aged 15-19 had made a quit attempt in the past 12 months.