Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

Prevalence

53.0% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Male = 55.1%, Female = 51.2%)

23.9% currently use any tobacco product (Male = 26.2%, Female = 21.4%)

20.8% currently smoke cigarettes (Male = 22.9%, Female = 18.7%)

6.9% currently use other tobacco products (Male = 8.1%, Female = 5.4%)

30.5% of never smokers are likely to initiate smoking next year
 

Knowledge and Attitude

24.0% think boys and 34.2% think girls who smoke have more friends

16.1% think boys and 28.8% think girls who smoke look more attractive
 

Access and Availability—Current Smokers

7.1% usually smoke at home

43.5% buy cigarettes in a store

51.3% who bought cigarettes in a store were NOT refused purchase because of their age
 

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

41.1% live in homes where others smoke in their presence

50.2% are around others who smoke in places outside their home

88.8% think smoking should be banned from public places

74.0% think smoke from others is harmful to them

44.5% have one or more parents who smoke

52.2% have most or all friends who smoke
 

Cessation—Current Smokers

66.1% want to stop smoking

65.4% tried to stop smoking during the past year

69.7% have ever received help to stop smoking
 

Media and Advertising

84.6% saw antismoking media messages, in the past 30 days

85.2% saw pro–cigarette ads on billboards, in the past 30 days

72.7% saw pro–cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days

14.0% have an object with a cigarette brand logo

12.1% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative
 

School

62.2% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking

35.8% had discussed in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke

54.0% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

• Approximately one quarter of the students currently use any form of tobacco; 20% of the students currently smoke cigarettes; 7% currently use some other form of tobacco.

• ETS exposure is high—two fifths of the students live in homes where others smoke and half of the students are exposed to smoke around others outside of the home; two fifths of the students have a parent who smokes and half of the students have friends who smoke.

• Three quarters of the students think smoke from others is harmful to them.

• Two thirds of the current smokers want to stop smoking.

• 1 in 10 students was offered a free cigarette by a tobacco company representative.

• Over 8 in 10 students saw antismoking media messages in the past 30 days; Over 8 in 10 students saw pro–cigarette ads in the past 30 days.