Quit success by age

In 2020, smoking abstinence among those who attempted to quit in the past 12 months differed significantly by age group,33 although estimates for each age group were not reportable due to low numbers.

Historic data by age group is shown below, where reportable (Figure 5.16). Over time, quit success within each age group has been highly variable, and no clear patterns by age have emerged.

The large increases and decreases observed in some years may reflect high variability due to smaller sample sizes for this measure, rather than real trends.

Line graph showing percentage of current smokers and recent quitters who attempted to quit in the past 12 months and were abstinent at the time of survey, by age group, from 2004 to 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 5.16 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 5.16: Percentage of current smokers and recent quitters* who attempted to quit in the past 12 months who were abstinent for at least one month at the time of survey, by age group, 2004-2020
  15-19 20-24 25-44 45+
2004 11.0 [6.7-15.2] 12.9 [8.6-17.1] 9.1 [5.0-13.2] 12.6 [7.6-17.5]
2005 8.2 [3.8-12.6] 11.2 [7.7-14.6] 15.8 [10.4-21.2] 14.8 [9.2-20.5]
2006 10.6 [5.8-15.3] 10.0 [6.6-13.5] 8.7 [4.7-12.7] 13.0 [8.7-17.2]
2007 7.7 [3.7-11.7] 11.5 [7.8-15.1] 13.8 [8.7-19.0] 12.4 [8.0-16.8]
2008 8.0 [4.7-11.3] 9.1 [5.9-12.3] 15.9 [9.3-22.4] 6.7 [4.1-9.3]
2009 6.1 [2.8-9.5] 14.9 [9.3-20.4] 7.5 [4.3-10.8] 13.4 [8.3-18.5]
2010 6.2 [3.2-9.1] 12.9 [7.4-18.4] 8.1 [4.1-12.2] 11.8 [7.2-16.5]
2011 15.0 [6.8-23.1] 12.2 [7.6-16.8] 10.0 [4.5-15.5] 10.3 [6.4-14.1]
2012 ! 11.9 [7.9-16.0] 10.7 [5.6-15.7] 16.9 [9.7-24.1]
2013 ! 8.8 [3.9-13.7] 11.3 [4.8-17.8] 12.5 [5.4-19.6]
2015 ! 13.0 [6.2-19.8] 16.4 [9.3-23.6] 10.3 [4.8-15.7]
2017 ! ! 16.0 [6.2-25.7] 10.1 [5.0-15.2]
2019 ! ! ! 12.1 [7.5-16.6]
2020 ! ! ! !

*Includes current smokers and former smokers who had quit in the past 12 months.  
! Estimate suppressed due to unacceptable quality.
Data source: Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey, 2004-2012; Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2013, 2015, 2017; Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2019, 2020.