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- 1997
- 62.4% of 3528 respondents in grades 9-12 reported ever smoking in their lives (65.0% of females and 59.8% of males). 42.7% identified themselves as weekly smokers. Current use was reported by 46.4% of all students (48% females and 44.6% males).
- Average age reported for smoking more than one per week was 13.2 years of age.
Younger students reported starting to smoke earlier than older students.
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- In Canada, approximately 30% of adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 smoke. (June 1998)
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- 1994
- 24% of youth aged 15-19 smoke. For males and females there is little difference where 23% of males and 24% of females are current smokers. For youth aged 10-14, the prevalence of current smokers is 7% for males and females.
- In addition to current smokers, 15% of females and 9% of males aged 13-14 are "beginning smokers." A beginning smoker is someone who has not smoked 100 cigarettes in his/her lifetime, but has smoked in the last 30 days.
- In comparison with other surveys, the prevalence of current smokers in the 15-19 age group has fallen from 43% in 1981 to 24% in 1994. There has been no appreciable change in prevalence since 1991, when 23% of this age group smoked.
- Generally, males smoke more than females and as all youth smokers get older, they smoke more. Daily smokers aged 15-19 smoke an average of 12.7 cigarettes per day. For males and females aged 10-14, they smoke 10.7 and 9.3 cigarettes per day respectively. Males aged 15-19 smoke an average of 13.6 cigarettes per day, whereas females of the same age smoke 11.8.
- The smoking behaviour of friends (i.e., friends smoke/peer pressure) is by far the most common reason given for why youth start to smoke. This is mentioned by more on-smoking 10-14 year olds (76%) than by their peers who are current smokers (56%). A difference between smokers and non- smokers is not seen for older youth(15-19). Overall, 70% of older youth (15-19) mention the smoking behaviour of friends as a reason peers start.
- Almost half of young persons aged 10-19 (46%) have at least one parent who currently smokes. This includes 61% of current smokers but only 43% of never-smokers. The presence of a parent who smokes is more common among younger smokers, especially those aged 10-12. Finally, 17% of youth report that both of their parents currently smoke, rising to 28% where the youth is also a smoker. These results are fairly consistent for both young men and young women.
- The results suggest that current smokers tend to have more close friends who also smoke. More specifically, 79% of smokers report that over half of their close friends smoke versus only 16% for non-smokers.
- Nearly two thirds of current smokers aged 10-19 report having attempted to quit smoking at least once.
- Despite knowing the legal age of purchase (18 or 19, depending on the province), 59% of males and 54% of females aged 10-19 feel that it is easy to buy cigarettes. Of the youth who have ever tried smoking, 48% have been asked their age and 41% have been refused at least once when attempting to purchase cigarettes, with very little difference between males and females. Those aged 10-14 are more likely to be refused when purchasing cigarettes than those aged 15-19 (51% versus 37%).
- Young smokers are very loyal to a particular brand. Eighty-six percent of smokers aged 15-19 usually smoke the same brand with little difference between males and females, 84% and 89% respectively. Daily smokers are more loyal than non-daily smokers, 90% vs. 74%. For 10-14 year olds, daily smokers are much more likely to smoke the same brand than non-daily smokers (97% vs. 87%).
- Awareness on the part of Canadian youth of events and activities sponsored or promoted by tobacco corporations is notable. 49% of all youth aged 10-14 and 51% of those aged 15-19 report seeing advertisements for events sponsored by tobacco corporations. 85% of smokers and 83% of non- smokers agree that these "billboards and signs are a way of advertising particular brands of cigarettes." 43% of smokers and 58% of non-smokers agree that these "billboards and signs are a way of encouraging people to smoke." There is very little difference between males and females in these responses.
- There are some widely held beliefs about smoking and health among youth aged 10-19. In particular, over 90% of youth aged 10-19 think that people can become addicted to tobacco and 90% think tobacco smoke can be harmful to the health of non-smokers. These beliefs are most prevalent and nearly universal among youth entering early adulthood, i.e., 15-19 year olds.
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- Females aged 12-19 make up 16.6% of female smokers in Canada. Quebec has the highest percentage of smokers in Canada. (1997-1998)
- According to a 1996-1997 study 15.8% of 12-19 year olds are smokers.
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- The biggest influence to smoke is having friends who smoke. About 80% of adolescent smokers have a close friend who smokes, while only 20% of adolescent non-smokers have a close friend who smokes.
- 55% of young male smokers and 51% of young female smokers, age 15 now, will die as a result of smoking if they continue to smoke. (1994)
- In a study of high school seniors, only 5% of those who smoked believed they would still be smoking two years after graduation. In fact, 75% were still smoking eight years later.
- To maintain a stable customer base, it is estimated that Canadian manufacturers need 450 new smokers every day to replace those who quit or die. (1996)
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