Smoking Rates

About 1 in 10 Canadians surveyed in the 2020 Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey reported regularly smoking cigarettes.² Youth had the lowest rates of cigarette smoking, while adults had the highest. A higher percentage of men compared to women reported currently smoking. Newfoundland and Nova Scotia had the highest rates of current smoking, while Alberta and British Columbia had the lowest.

Smoking Status, by Province, 2020

Tobacco Use Rates

In 2020, 6% of youth and 12% of young adults reported using at least one tobacco product in the last 30 days. 2% of Canadians aged 15 or older reported smoking a cigar in the last 30 days, while 1% reported use of a water-pipe and 1% reported use of chewing tobacco. Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia had the highest rates of recent tobacco product use while British Colombia and Alberta had the lowest.

Quitting Smoking

A quarter of survey respondents aged 15 years or older had formerly smoked but successfully quit. The majority of those who had quit or made a quit attempt within the last year reported “quitting on their own, without special preparation or help”, while others reported “reducing their number of cigarettes”, or using “nicotine replacement products”.  Among those who smoke daily, 39% had made at least one quit attempt in the past year.

Number of Quit Attempts by Those Who Smoke Daily

References

1. Statistics Canada. (2019). Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey (CTNS) 2019. Statistics Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canadian-tobacco-nicotine-survey/2019-summary.htm
2. Statistics Canada. (2020). Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey (CTNS) 2020. Statistics Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canadian-tobacco-nicotine-survey/2020-summary.htm
3. Statistics Canada. (2022). Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey (CTNS) 2021. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220505/dq220505c-eng.htm