Health Fact Sheets
Smoking, 2016
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In 2016, 16.9% of Canadians aged 12 and older (roughly 5.2 million people) smoked either daily or occasionally.Note 1 The proportion of Canadians aged 12 and older who smoked either daily or occasionally declined between 2015 and 2016 (17.7%, 16.9%). Note 2Note 3
Among the sexes, the proportion who smoked daily or occasionally was higher among males (19.4%) than females (14.5%, Chart 1).
Across all age groups, smoking was least common among youth aged 12 to 17 (3.6%), followed by adults 65 and older (9.5%). The group with the largest proportion of smokers was males aged 20 to 34—about one in four (25.8%) men in this age group were smokers (Chart 1).
Data table for Chart 1
| Age group (years) | Percent | Confidence Interval | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower 95% limit | Upper 95% limit | ||
| Males | |||
| Total (12 and older) | 19.4 | 18.6 | 20.2 |
| 12 to 17 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 5.0 |
| 18 to 19 | 14.1 | 10.2 | 18.0 |
| 20 to 34 | 25.8 | 23.9 | 27.7 |
| 35 to 49 | 21.4 | 19.5 | 23.3 |
| 50 to 64 | 22.4 | 20.8 | 24.1 |
| 65 and older | 11.0 | 9.9 | 12.2 |
| Females | |||
| Total (12 and older) | 14.5 | 13.8 | 15.1 |
| 12 to 17 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 4.3 |
| 18 to 19 | 13.1 | 9.3 | 16.8 |
| 20 to 34 | 18.2 | 16.6 | 19.8 |
| 35 to 49 | 16.4 | 14.8 | 17.9 |
| 50 to 64 | 17.7 | 16.2 | 19.2 |
| 65 and older | 8.1 | 7.3 | 8.9 |
|
Note: 95% confidence intervals are denoted by vertical lines overlaid on the bars in this chart. They indicate the degree of variability in the estimates. Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2016. |
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Of the 5.2 million current smokers, the majority (3.7 million) smoked cigarettes daily. The majority of non-smokers were lifetime abstainers. Just over one in five Canadians (21.8%) were non-smokers who used to be daily smokers (Chart 2).
Data table for Chart 2
| Percent | Confidence Interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower 95% limit | Upper 95% limit | ||
| Current daily smoker | 12.0 | 11.6 | 12.5 |
| Current occasional smoker | 4.9 | 4.6 | 5.2 |
| Former daily smoker (non-smoker now) | 21.8 | 21.2 | 22.3 |
| Former occasional smoker (non-smoker now) | 2.9 | 2.7 | 3.1 |
| Experimental smoker | 12.8 | 12.4 | 13.3 |
| Lifetime abstainer | 45.6 | 44.9 | 46.3 |
|
Note: Experimental smokers are current non-smokers who have had at least one whole cigarette in their lifetime. Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2016. |
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People typically begin smoking during their teenage years,Note 4 so the percentage who have not started smoking by age 20 is an indicator of future smoking rates. In 2016, 57.3% of those aged 20 to 24 had never smoked. Among this age group, the proportion for never smoking was higher for females than for males.
The proportion of smokers in Canada decreased as household income increased. Among households within the lowest income quintile,Note 5 almost 1 in 4 Canadians were smokers (23.4%). In households in the highest income quintile, just over 1 in 10 were smokers (12.0%; Chart 3).
Data table for Chart 3
| Percent | Confidence Interval | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower 95% limit | Upper 95% limit | ||
| First quintile | 23.4 | 22.1 | 24.8 |
| Second quintile | 18.2 | 17.0 | 19.3 |
| Third quintile | 16.3 | 15.1 | 17.4 |
| Fourth quintile | 14.6 | 13.5 | 15.7 |
| Fifth quintile | 12.0 | 11.1 | 13.0 |
|
Note: 95% confidence intervals are denoted by vertical lines overlaid on the bars in this chart. They indicate the degree of variability in the estimates. Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2016. |
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For analysis of smoking with other healthy behaviours see the ‘Healthy Behaviours’ Fact Sheet.
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About Smoking
Smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, and other conditions.Note 6 According to the World Health Organization, smoking is an important and preventable cause of death.Note 7
The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) categorizes respondents by smoking status based on their self-reported smoking habits:
- Lifetime abstainer - Has never smoked a whole cigarette
- Experimental smoker - Has smoked at least 1 whole cigarette, but less than 100 in their lifetime
- Former occasional smoker (non-smoker now) - Currently doesn’t smoke, but has smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. These respondents have never smoked daily
- Former daily smoker (non-smoker now) - Currently doesn’t smoke, but has smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. These respondents have previously smoked daily
- Current occasional smoker - Smokes cigarettes occasionally
- Current daily smoker - Smokes cigarettes every day
The CCHS smoking rate covers cigarettes that are bought ready-made as well as cigarettes that are self-made, but does not include electronic cigarettes.
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References
Shields, M. 2007. “Smoking bans: Influence on smoking prevalence”. Health Reports. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-003. Vol. 18, no. 3. (accessed January 17, 2017)
Shields, M. 2005. “The journey to quitting smoking”. Health Reports. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-003. Vol. 16, no. 3. (accessed January 17, 2017)
Shields, M. 2005. “Youth smoking”. Health Reports. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-003. Vol.16, no. 3. (accessed January 17th, 2017)
World Health Organization. 2008. “WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008”. The MPOWER Package. Geneva. (accessed January 17, 2017)
Jiajian, C., and W.J. Millar. 1998. “Age of smoking initiation: Implications for quitting”. Health Reports. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-003. Vol. 9, no. 4. (accessed January 11, 2017)
Data
Additional data from the Canadian Community Health Survey are available from CANSIM 105–0508.
Notes
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