• Download the full report
• About This Report
• Highlights
• Table of Contents
• I: Adult Tobacco Use
• II: Quitting Smoking
• III: Youth Tobacco Use
• Smoking Initiation
• Current Smoking
  Smoking Prevalence
  Cigarette Consumption
• Sources of Cigarettes
• Other Tobacco Products
• Quitting Smoking
• End Material
• Policy Supplement

youth: SMOKING PREVALENCE

By Age | By Sex | By Province

Smoking Prevalence by Age

Smoking prevalence appeared to increase with age: smoking rates were too low to report among grade 6 students, but increased fairly steadily to nearly 18% of 19 year-olds (Figure 8.3). As noted, data up to grade 9 is provided by the YSS, and data from CTUMS is used for older youth. The difference observed between grade 9 students and 15-year-olds could be due to differences in survey methodologies.

Download this figure Download the data table with 95% CI

Among students in grades 7-9, smoking patterns by grade were fairly stable between 2002 and 2008-09, and were much lower in these years than in 1994 (Figure 8.4). Over time, smoking among youth aged 15-17 has declined fairly steadily, while smoking among 18- to 19-year-olds has also declined, albeit with less consistency and slight increases in some years (Figure 8.4). This has led to a greater difference in smoking rates between older and younger adolescents: in 2010, the smoking rate among 18- to 19-year-olds was almost double that of 15-to 17-year olds.

Download this figure Download the data table with 95% CI