Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey

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This survey will ask both smokers and non-smokers about past and present smoking habits and attitudes towards smoking. Questions will also be asked about the use of alcohol and prescription and non-prescription drugs. Results will be used by Health Canada to monitor changes regarding the usage of tobacco, alcohol and drug use, and to plan programs accordingly. Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

Collection periods:
February 1 to December 31, 2017
Collection methods:
Telephone interview (CATI)
Survey participation:
Voluntary

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. However, since every respondent in this survey represents many other people in your province and in Canada, it is important that each respondent participate in order to ensure that the collected information is as precise and accurate as possible.

  • Block Information Confidentiality

    Confidentiality

    Your answers to this voluntary survey will be kept strictly confidential.

  • Block Information on Record linkage

    Record linkage

    To enrich the data from this survey, Statistics Canada may combine your responses with information from other surveys or from administrative sources.

  • Block Information on Topics covered in the survey

    Topics covered in the survey

    The survey asks a variety of questions about:

    • tobacco use
    • exposure to second-hand smoke
    • e-cigarette use
    • alcohol use
    • prescription and non-prescription drug use
    • labour market activities
  • Block Information on Published data

    Published data

    Statistics Canada publishes the results of its surveys in many formats, the following list includes the latest articles and related documents for the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey:

  • Block Information on Survey-specific questions

    Survey-specific questions

    What is the Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey?

    The Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS) collects information from persons 15 years of age and over and is conducted by Statistics Canada on behalf of Health Canada to provide biennial national and provincial estimates of tobacco, alcohol and drug use.

    The first half of the survey collects information about smoking behaviour, attitudes towards smoking, and other related issues. The survey also collects general information about smoking in the household. An important goal of the survey is to understand the attitudes and smoking behaviours of the population aged 15 to 24 years old.

    Since this information has been collected since 1999 it is possible to look at the changes that have taken place in tobacco use and attitudes towards smoking in the Canadian population, and the circumstances that lead to these changes.

    The second half of the survey focuses on alcohol use, prescription and non-prescription drug use and related behaviours and outcomes.

    Why does the survey focus more on youth?

    People aged 15 to 24 years old are most at risk for beginning to smoke. Nearly all first-time tobacco use occurs before high school graduation. We need to better understand what makes them smoke, and what can help them to quit.

    How was I selected for this survey?

    It would be very expensive, and not very practical, to survey every household in Canada. Instead, Statistics Canada uses a statistical method called sampling. It is an established way to determine characteristics of an entire population with the answers from a randomly chosen sample.

    To select people for the survey, telephone numbers are randomly selected from a list of phone numbers we have at Statistics Canada. All households with a telephone in the 10 provinces that are on that list have a chance of being selected. From these households, we collect information from about 5,350 individuals aged 15 to 19 and 5,350 individuals aged 20 to 24 and 5,350 individuals aged 25 or over.

    Who uses the survey information? Why is it important?

    Information from this survey is useful to all Canadians. It helps everyone understand the changes that are taking place in tobacco, alcohol and drug use in Canada and how these changes affect their personal, work and leisure-time lives.

    Health Canada, other federal departments, provincial governments, and various health organizations will use the survey data to develop prevention policies and treatments programs and to monitor the results of their programs.

    Community organizations, educators and researchers interested in tobacco, alcohol and drug-related attitudes and behaviours will use results from this survey to raise public awareness and to help them in their on-going work.

    When will the survey results be available?

    The results from the 2017 survey should be released in The Daily in November 2018.

    Consult Published data section for more data and analysis.

    Where can I find more information about the survey?

    For more information about the Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, contact us.

    Information about the survey is also available on Health Canada's website:

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    Brochure

    Speak. Freely.
    Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey

    This is a message for teens.

    This is a message for parents.

    This is a message for adults.

    Statistics Canada, in partnership with Health Canada, has a very simple mission: we want to speak with Canadians aged 15 and up across Canada about their use of tobacco products, e-cigarettes, drugs and alcohol. By having an open discussion, you give us the information that many organizations need to better understand various health-related behaviours and provide input into developing programs that benefit all Canadians. That is the goal of the Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS).

    You might be asking: what if I only consume every once in a while, or not at all?

    This information is just as important since it will help paint a picture of how many Canadians, from province-to-province, use and don't use these substances. A true picture of Canadians can only be obtained from talking to everyone selected to participate in the survey regardless of their behaviour.

    This survey will do more than just collect important data

    Results obtained from previous surveys helped to create the Cracking Down on Tobacco Marketing Aimed at Youth Act, which came into effect in 2010. This Act changed the minimum packaging size for little cigars and other products, ending the tobacco industry's practice of selling these products in single units, or in "kiddy-packs" that were both appealing and affordable for youth.

    So…
    Speak. Freely.

    Your personal information will remain confidential

    All information collected by Statistics Canada is kept strictly confidential and is protected by the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada does not release any information that could identify you or any member of your household.

    Please contact us for further information about this survey

    Visit Information for survey participants (ISP)
    Atlantic 1-800-565-1685
    Quebec 1-800-363-6720
    Ontario 1-800-387-0714
    Western Region and Northern Territories 1-866-445-4323
    Telecommunication device for the hearing impaired (TTY): 1-866-753-7083
    Email: infostats@statcan.gc.ca

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  • Questionnaires, definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4440
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