Nearly five million Canadians still smoke, although there has been a downward trend for more than two decades in the number of Canadians who smoke. Smoking can lead to a number of diseases in the smoker, including lung cancer, respiratory illness, and cardiovascular disease and stroke. It can also have an impact on the health of non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke.
What you will find
These resources provide Canadian and international information to help you plan smoking prevention and cessation programs. For more information, please visit the Best Practices section for interventions related to tobacco reduction.
Data
A first step to planning a program or policy change on tobacco use is to understand the topic through surveillance data.
Canadian Data
- Chronic Disease Infobase Data Cubes, interactive database. Public Health Agency of Canada.
- Tobacco Informatics Monitoring System, (includes some indicators by provinces and territories, various dates). Ontario Tobacco Research Unit.
- Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2013, provide regular and reliable data on tobacco, alcohol and drug use and related issues, with the primary focus on 15- to 24-year-olds. Available on request. Statistics Canada (2015).
- Tobacco use in Canada: 2014 edition, Propel Centre for Population Health Impact.
- Canadian tobacco use monitoring survey (CTUMS) 2012, Health Canada (2013).
Second-hand smoke
- Exposure to second-hand smoke at home by age group and sex, data table. Statistics Canada (2014).
- Exposure of children at home to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), by province and age group, Canada, Health Canada (2012).
- Percentage of children exposed at home to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), age 0 to 11 years, by province, Canada 1999 to 2012, Health Canada (2012).
- Exposure to second-hand smoke in vehicles and/or public places by age group and sex, data table. Statistics Canada (2011-2014).
- Summary of conclusions of eight major reviews concerning exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke (PDF document), National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health (2008).
Industry and retail
- The Tobacco industry, (includes provinces and territories, by various dates). Health Canada.
- Retailer compliance evaluation, Health Canada.
Provincial/Territorial Data
- Smokers, by sex, provinces and territories, table with percentage data. Statistics Canada (2014).
Alberta
- Waterpipe smoking in Alberta: A report by the office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health February 2012 (PDF document), Government of Alberta.
New Brunswick
- New Brunswick Student Drug Use survey report 2012 (PDF document), includes cigarettes. New Brunswick Department of Health (2013).
Northwest Territories
- NWT Addictions report – Prevalence of alcohol, illicit drug, tobacco use and gambling in the NWT, Northwest Territories Health and Social Services (2010).
- Youth smoking in the NWT: A descriptive summary of smoking behaviour among Grades 5 to 9 Students, Northwest Territories Health and Social Services (2009).
Ontario
- Health behaviours: Self-reported adult daily smoking rate, Public Health Ontario.
- 900,000 days in hospital: the annual impact of smoking, alcohol, diet and physical activity on hospital use in Ontario, Institute of Clinical and Evaluative Sciences (ICES) (2014).
- Seven more years: The impact of smoking, alcohol, diet, physical activity and stress on health and life expectancy in Ontario, Public Health Ontario and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (2012).
Prince Edward Island
- 2012-2013 Youth Smoking Survey Provincial Report, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Quebec
- Electronic Cigarette Use among Secondary School Students in Québec: 2012-20131 (PDF document) , Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2015).
- Smoking cessation and Québec students: 2006-2007 to 2010-2011 (PDF document) , Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2014).
- L’initiation à l’usage de la cigarette chez les élèves québécois : 2008-2009 (PDF document)(French only). Outlines the rates of cigarette initiation in Quebec students in grades 6 through 11. Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2011).
- The proportion of current smokers aged 12 years and older, Institut national de santé publique (2010).
- Plan Québécois d’abandon du tabagisme – État de situation après 10 ans d’implantation (French only). Data and analyses of various interventions (tobacco quit lines and cessation centres, pharmaceutical interventions, contests, etc.) used over a period of ten years for tobacco cessation. Santé et Services sociaux (2013).
International Data
Australia
- National drug strategy household survey detailed report: 2013, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (updated 2015).
New Zealand
- Tobacco use 2012/13: New Zealand Health Survey, Ministry of Health (2014).
- Tobacco data and stats: Maori smoking and tobacco use 2011, Ministry of Health.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- OECD Health Statistics 2015, online database.
- Health at a glance: Europe, 2012: Smoking and alcohol consumption among children.
United Kingdom
- Tobacco control profiles for England, Public Health England (2015).
United States
- Smoking and tobacco use: Data and statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Youth risk behavior surveillance system: Tobacco use, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- The health consequences of smoking – 50 years of progress: A report of the Surgeon General (PDF document), US Department of Health & Human Services (2014).
World Health Organization
- Tobacco Control Database for the WHO European Region.
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2015.
- Tobacco: Why pay attention to this issue during adolescence? (PDF document) (2012).
- Global estimate of the burden of disease from second-hand smoke (2011).
- Economics of tobacco toolkit (PDF document), World Health Organization (2011).
- WHO Global Infobase: Tobacco use prevalence (2008).
Other International Data
- A study on liability and the health costs of smoking: Updated final report (PDF document), European Commission (2012).
Government Strategies (Frameworks, Action Plans, etc.)
Canadian Strategies
- Strong foundation, renewed focus – An overview of Canada’s Federal tobacco control strategy 2012-2017 (PDF document), Health Canada.
Aboriginal Strategies
- First Nations, Inuit and Métis: Respiratory health initiatives environmental scan (PDF document), National Aboriginal Health Organization (2011).
Provincial/Territorial Strategies
Alberta
- Creating tobacco-free futures: Alberta’s Strategy to prevent and reduce tobacco use 2012 – 2022, Alberta Health.
- The Alberta Tobacco reduction strategy: Sustaining the momentum (PDF document) (2008).
New Brunswick
- Live well, be well: New Brunswick’s Wellness strategy action plan 2013-2014 (PDF document).
- Live well, be well: New Brunswick’s Wellness strategy 2009-2013 (PDF document).
Newfoundland and Labrador
- Every action counts! Tobacco reduction strategy: Newfoundland and Labrador 2013-2017 (PDF document), Alliance for the Control of Tobacco (2013).
Nova Scotia
- Moving toward a tobacco free Nova Scotia: Comprehensive tobacco control strategy for Nova Scotia (2011).
Nunavut
- Nunavut Tobacco reduction framework for action (PDF document), Department of Health and Social Services (2011).
- Developing healthy communities: A public health strategy for Nunavut (PDF document), Department of Health and Social Services (2008-2013).
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
- Plan québécois de prévention du tabagisme chez les jeunes 2010-2015 (French only). Outlines a 5 year government commitment of strategies and actions to be used to prevent tobacco use by young people. Health and Social Services (2010).
Yukon
International Strategies
Australia
- National tobacco strategy 2012-2018, Government of Australia.
New Zealand
- Smokefree 2025, Minister of Health (2011).
United Kingdom
- Healthy lives, Healthy People: A tobacco control plan for England, Department of Health (2011).
- A smokefree future: A comprehensive tobacco control strategy for England (PDF document) (2010).
United States
- Preventing tobacco use among youth and young adults: A report of the Surgeon General (PDF document), US Department of Health and Human Services (2012).
- Ending the tobacco epidemic: A Tobacco control strategic action plan for the U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services (PDF document) (2010).
World Health Organisation
- Raising tax on tobacco: What you need to know (2014).
- WHO Framework convention on tobacco control, a key treaty that ‘reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health’ (2003).
Guidance
Canadian Guidance
- Vaping: Toward a regulatory framework for e-cigarettes, Canadian House of Commons, Standing Committee on Health, Parliament (2015).
- Tobacco reports and publications, Health Canada.
- The Tobacco story in Canada: 1900 until today, National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy (2008).
Provincial/Territorial Guidance
Ontario
- Comprehensive tobacco control guidance document (PDF document), Ministry of Health Promotion Ontario (2010).
- Evidence to guide action: Comprehensive tobacco control in Ontario (PDF document), Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport and the Tobacco Strategy Advisory Group (2010).
Quebec
- Synthèse des connaissances sur la prévention du tabagisme en milieu scolaire (Document PDF) (in French only). Systematic review undertaken to update a 2004 report on the prevention of smoking among young people with regard to interventions in schools noting the effectiveness of smoking prevention interventions in that timeframe and to verify whether the recommendations of the 2004 report are still relevant. Institut national de santé public du Québec (2014).
International Guidance
United Kingdom
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
- Behaviour change: Individual approaches (2014).
- Tobacco- harm-reduction approaches to smoking: Guidance (2013).
- Preventing the uptake of smoking by children and young people, (2011).
- School-based interventions to prevent smoking (2010).
United States
- Reducing tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure, The Community Guide. Community Preventive Task Force.
- Smoking and tobacco use: State and community resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Preventing tobacco use among youth and young adults: A report of the Surgeon General (PDF document), US Department of Health and Human Services (2012).
World Health Organization
Systematic Reviews of the Research
Selected reviews from HealthEvidence.org:
- Effectiveness of cultural adaptations of interventions aimed at smoking cessation, diet, and/or physical activity in ethnic minorities: A systematic review (2013).
- School policies for preventing smoking among young people (2014).
- Interventions for smoking cessation in Indigenous populations (2012).
- Community interventions for preventing smoking in young people (2011).
- Smokefree policies to reduce tobacco use: A systematic review (2010).
Search more systematic reviews.