2002 Progress Report on Tobacco Control

Tracking Key Indicators

This annual progress report to the Ministers of Health tracks changes in the prevalence of smoking in Canada (how many Canadians smoke) and in cigarette consumption (the average number of cigarettes smoked by daily smokers).

Prior to 1999, the collection of prevalence data was sporadic and inconsistent. In 1999, Health Canada initiated the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS) to collect on an ongoing basis, up-to-date, reliable and comparable data on tobacco use in Canada. Statistics Canada, which conducts CTUMS for Health Canada, provides half-year (Wave 1 and 2) and yearly data provincially with a national roll-up, using a full-year sample size of about 20,000 respondents. About 50% of those surveyed are between 15 and 24 years of age. The turn around time for CTUMS data -- six months -- is much shorter than previously conducted surveys.

Historically, national surveys such as CTUMS have not collected data in the northern regions of Canada because of high cost. This created a data gap for a population in which tobacco use was suspected to be the highest in the country -- perhaps as high as 62% for First Nations and 72% for Inuit.

To address this data gap, Health Canada developed the Northern Usage of Tobacco, Alcohol and Illicit Drugs survey. Initiated in 2002, this survey will provide data on tobacco use that will be similar to data provided by CTUMS. Data are collected in Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories in two cycles per year.

Smoking prevalence in Canada

According to the 2001 CTUMS results, the Canadian smoking prevalence rate is the lowest since regular monitoring of smoking began in 1965 when it was estimated at 50%. Slightly more than 5.4 million Canadians, about 22% of the population aged 15 and older, smoked daily or occasionally in 2001. (Figure 1)

Sources: Labour Force Survey Supplement, 1965-1975, 1981-1986; Canada Health Survey, 1978; General Social Survey, 1991; Survey on Smoking in Canada,1994; National Population Health Survey 1996/97; Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (Annual), 1999-2001.

While the overall smoking prevalence rate and those for men and women have exhibited a steady decline over the past 35 years, the prevalence rate for youth aged 15 to 19 years has not shown the same steady decline. During the 1990s, the rate for teens aged 15 to 19 rose to around 28%, but has been slowly declining in the past few years. (Figure 2) In 2001, about 22% of teens aged 15 to 19 reported that they smoked. More teen girls (24%) smoke compared to teen boys (21%).

Sources: Labour Force Survey Supplement, 1981-1986; General Social Survey, 1991; Survey on Smoking in Canada, 1994; National Population Health Survey, 1996/97; Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (Annual), 1999-2001.

While young adults aged 20 to 24 still have the highest smoking rate of any age group -- 32% -- this is a slight decrease since the 2000 CTUMS survey. (Figure 2) In 1981, 47% of young adult men in that age group smoked, while in 2001 just under 35% reported smoking. In 1981, the rate for 20- to 24-year old women was even higher -- 50%, however, in 2001 that rate had dropped to 29%.

In 2001, about 20% of women and 24% of men were smokers. Since the prevalence rate for male smokers has always been higher, the decline among male smokers has been greater than among female smokers. In 1965, men accounted for 61% of smokers while women accounted for 38%. (Figure 3)

Sources: Labour Force Survey Supplement, 1965­1975, 1981­1986; Canada Health Survey, 1978; General Social Survey, 1991; Survey on Smoking in Canada, 1994; National Population Health Survey, 1996/97; Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (Annual), 1999­2001.

Differences in prevalence rates among the provinces are beginning to lessen. British Columbia has consistently reported the lowest prevalence rate, which in 2001 remained at 17%. The highest prevalence rates were reported in Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island, all at 26%. (Figure 4)

Figure 4 Sources: General Social Survey, 1991; Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (Annual), 2001.
Figure 5 Source: Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (Annual), 2001.

Cigarette consumption

Not only are fewer Canadians smoking now, than two decades ago, they are smoking less. In 1981, daily smokers consumed an average of 20.6 cigarettes per day. Since then, the daily consumption of cigarettes has gradually declined, although it has remained about the same as last year at 16.2 cigarettes per day. (Figure 5)

While daily consumption levels have declined steadily for both men and women over the last twenty years, the decline has been more marked for men than for women, since men historically smoked substantially more cigarettes per day. (Figure 6)

* Provincial data only.
Sources: Labour Force Supplement, 1981; Health Promotion Survey, 1985 and 1990; National Population Health Survey, 1996/97; Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (Annual), 1999-2001.

Similarly, while fewer Canadian youth are smoking, consumption rates are almost the same as last year. Among 15 to 19 year olds, cigarette consumption was reported at 12.9 cigarettes daily, while among young adults aged 20 to 24, consumption was reported at 13.9 cigarettes daily. (Figure 7)

* Provincial data only.
Sources: Labour Force Supplement, 1981; Health Promotion Survey, 1985 and 1990; National Population Health Survey, 1996/97; Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (Annual), 1999-2001.