Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

Prevalence

46.4% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Boy = 51.8%, Girl = 41.5%)

21.9% currently use any tobacco product (Boy = 26.4%, Girl = 17.4%)

17.9% currently smoke cigarettes (Boy = 21.5%, Girl = 14.3%)

7.8% currently use other tobacco products (Boy = 9.9%, Girl = 5.7%)

26.2% of never smokers are likely to initiate smoking next year

Knowledge and Attitudes

23.3% think boys and 36.8% think girls who smoke have more friends

14.4% think boys and 28.7% think girls who smoke look more attractive

10.9% usually smoke at home

28.4% buy cigarettes in a store

70.5% who bought cigarettes in a store were NOT refused purchase because of their age

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

33.3% live in homes where others smoke in their presence

46.3% are around others who smoke in places outside their home

87.8% think smoking should be banned from public places

75.6% think smoke from others is harmful to them

31.4% have one or more parents who smoke

58.3% have most or all friends who smoke

Cessation - Current Smokers

56.2% want to stop smoking

58.1% tried to stop smoking during the past year

71.7% have ever received help to stop smoking

Media and Advertising

83.5% saw anti-smoking media messages, in the past 30 days

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

74.1% saw pro-cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days

14.7% have an object with a cigarette brand logo

10.8% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative

School

63.0% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking

36.2% had discussed in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke

57.5% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

• 2 in 10 students currently use any form of tobacco; 18% of the students currently smoke cigarettes; 7.8% currently use some other form of tobacco.

• ETS exposure is high–over 3 in 10 students live in homes where others smoke and almost 5 in 10 are exposed to smoke around others outside of the home; 3 in 10 students have a parent who smokes and over half of the students have friends who smoke.

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

• Over half of the current smokers want to stop smoking.

• 10% of the students were offered a free cigarette by a tobacco company representative.

• Over 8 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.