Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

Prevalence

43.8% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Male = 49.1%, Female = 37.7%)
23.8% currently use any tobacco product (Male = 28.2%, Female = 18.7%)
19.0% currently smoke cigarettes (Male = 23.4%, Female = 14.1%)
9.5% currently use other tobacco products (Male = 11.3%, Female = 7.5%)
24.9% of never smokers are likely to initiate smoking next year

Knowledge and Attitudes

19.1% think boys and 18.8% think girls who smoke have more friends
15.6% think boys and 13.0% think girls who smoke look more attractive

12.4% usually smoke at home
58.3% buy cigarettes in a store
81.0% who bought cigarettes in a store were NOT refused purchase because of their age

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

35.6% live in homes where others smoke in their presence
53.8% are around others who smoke in places outside their home
80.9% think smoking should be banned from public places
58.8% think smoke from others is harmful to them
41.4% have one or more parents who smoke
12.3% have most or all friends who smoke

Cessation - Current Smokers

61.4% want to stop smoking
67.2% tried to stop smoking during the past year
71.3% have ever received help to stop smoking

Media and Advertising

76.6% saw anti-smoking media messages, in the past 30 days
85.3% saw pro-cigarette ads on billboards, in the past 30 days
77.4% saw pro-cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days
16.6% have an object with a cigarette brand logo
13.7% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative

School

49.3% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking
23.1% had discussed in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke
37.9% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

• Two out of 10 students currently use any form of tobacco; 1 in 5 students currently smoke cigarettes; 1 in 10 currently use some other form of tobacco.

• ETS exposure is high–two thirds of the students live in homes where others smoke and half of the students are exposed to smoke around others outside of the home; 4 in 10 students have a parent who smokes and 1 in 10 students have friends who smoke.

• Eight in 10 students think smoke from others is harmful to them.

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

• 13% of the students were offered a free cigarette by a tobacco company representative.

• Over 7 in 10 students saw anti-smoking media messages in the past 30 days; over 8 in 10 students saw pro-cigarette ads in the past 30 days.