Tobacco Use in Canada
Patterns and Trends - 2012 Edition

SMOKING IN THE PROVINCES

Smoking Prevalence | Cigarette Consumption

Smoking Prevalence by Province

In 2010, there was significant variation in smoking prevalence by province (21) (Figure 2.1). Current smoking rates ranged from a low of 14.3% in British Columbia to a high of 21.1% in Saskatchewan. Three provinces, Prince Edward Island, Ontario and British Columbia, had smoking rates below the national average of 16.7%.

2012_Figure_2-1

Between 1999 and 2010, smoking prevalence decreased substantially in all provinces, although not consistently (Table 2.1). There was considerable variation by province in the magnitude of this decline: from more than 12 percentage points in Quebec to less than 3 in Manitoba. Several provinces appear to have reached a plateau in smoking prevalence, or even experienced a slight rise, in the most recent years. Throughout this time period, British Columbia consistently had the lowest smoking rate of all provinces.