Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

Prevalence

36.7% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Boys = 41.3%, Girls = 31.8%)

18.8% currently use any tobacco product (Boys = 21.5%, Girls = 16.3%)

12.2% currently smoke cigarettes (Boys = 13.0%, Girls = 10.8%)

11.6% currently use other tobacco products (Boys = 14.3%, Girls = 9.2%)

10.9% of never smokers are likely to initiate smoking next year
 

Knowledge and Attitudes

33.8% think boys and 17.8% think girls who smoke have more friends

6.1% think boys and 5.4% think girls who smoke look more attractive
 

Access and Availability–Current Smokers

32.6% usually smoke at home

20.1% buy cigarettes in a store

80.9% who bought cigarettes in a store were NOT refused purchase because of their age
 

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

27.3% live in homes where others smoke in their presence

59.1% are around others who smoke in places outside their home

76.6% think smoking should be banned from public places

75.6% think smoke from others is harmful to them

29.5% have one or more parents who smoke

8.5% have most or all friends who smoke
 

Cessation–Current Smokers

60.2% want to stop smoking

52.0% tried to stop smoking during the past year

61.8% have ever received help to stop smoking
 

Media and Advertising

81.8% saw anti-smoking media messages, in the past 30 days

49.2% saw pro-cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days

13.3% have an object with a cigarette brand logo

13.8% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative
 

School

48.1% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking

31.4% had discussed in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke

42.6% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

• 18.8% of students currently use any form of tobacco; 12% currently smoke cigarettes; 11.6% currently use some other form of tobacco.

• ETS exposure is high–almost 3 in 10 students live in homes where others smoke in their presence; over half are exposed to smoke in public places; almost 3 in 10 have parents who smoke.

• Over 7 in 10 students think smoke from others is harmful to them.

• Over 7 in 10 students think smoking in public places should be banned.

• Approximately 6 in 10 smokers want to stop smoking.

• Over 8 in 10 students saw anti-smoking media messages in the past 30 days; almost 5 in 10 students saw pro-cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines in the past 30 days.