Health Fact Sheets
Smoking, 2017

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Release date: June 26, 2018

In 2017, 16.2% of Canadians aged 12 and older (roughly 5 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 2017 (17.7%, 16.2%).Note 2

Among the sexes, the proportion who smoked daily or occasionally was higher among males (19.1%) than females (13.4%). Across all age groups, smoking was least common among youth aged 12 to 17 (3.5%, Chart 1).Note 3

Chart 1

Data table for Chart 1
Data table for Chart 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 1. The information is grouped by Age group (appearing as row headers), Percent and Confidence Interval, calculated using Lower 95% limit and Upper 95% limit units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Age group Percent Confidence Interval
Lower 95% limit Upper 95% limit
Males
Total (12 years and older) 19.1 18.4 19.9
12 to 17 years 2.7Note E: Use with caution 1.9 3.5
18 to 19 years 13.8 10.3 17.3
20 to 34 years 24.1 22.2 25.9
35 to 49 years 23.2 21.3 25.0
50 to 64 years 22.5 20.9 24.1
65 years and older 10.5 9.4 11.6
Females
Total (12 years and older) 13.4 12.8 14.0
12 to 17 years 4.3Note E: Use with caution 2.6 5.9
18 to 19 years 9.2Note E: Use with caution 6.2 12.3
20 to 34 years 16.1 14.7 17.5
35 to 49 years 14.0 12.8 15.2
50 to 64 years 16.6 15.2 17.9
65 years and older 9.2 8.2 10.1

Of the 5 million current smokers, the majority (3.6 million) smoked cigarettes daily. The majority of non-smokers were lifetime abstainers. Just over one in five Canadians (21.7%) were non-smokers who used to be daily smokers (Chart 2).

Chart 2

Data table for Chart 2
Data table for Chart 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 2 Percent (appearing as column headers).
Percent
Current daily smoker 11.6
Current occasional smoker 4.6
Former daily smoker (non-smoker now) 21.7
Former occasional smoker (non-smoker now) 2.7
Experimental smoker 12.7
Lifetime abstainer 46.7

People typically begin smoking during their teenage yearsNote 4, so the percentage who have not started smoking by age 20 is an indicator of future smoking rates. In 2017, 60.7% 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 varied by household income. Among households within the lowest income quintileNote 5, over 1 in 5 Canadians were smokers (21.7%). In households in the highest income quintile, just over 1 in 10 were smokers (11.9%, Chart 3).

Chart 3

Data table for Chart 3
Data table for Chart 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 3 Percent and Confidence Interval, calculated using Lower 95% limit and Upper 95% limit units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Percent Confidence Interval
Lower 95% limit Upper 95% limit
First quintile 21.7 20.5 22.9
Second quintile 17.3 16.2 18.5
Third quintile 16.0 14.9 17.1
Fourth quintile 14.1 13.1 15.2
Fifth quintile 11.9 10.9 12.9

For analysis of smoking with other healthy behaviours see the ‘Healthy Behaviours’ Fact Sheet.

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.

End of text box

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 17, 2017)

Data

Additional data from the Canadian Community Health Survey are available from table 13-10-0096-01.

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