Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

Prevalence

51.8% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Boy = 51.2%, Girl = 50.9%)

24.4% currently use any tobacco product (Boy = 22.1%, Girl = 25.5%)

20.8% currently smoke cigarettes (Boy = 17.6%, Girl = 22.9%)

7.3% currently use other tobacco products (Boy = 8.6%, Girl = 5.5%)

27.5% of never smokers are likely to initiate smoking next year

Knowledge and Attitudes

24.9% think boys and 31.3% think girls who smoke have more friends

13.8% think boys and 27.3% think girls who smoke look more attractive

12.8% usually smoke at home

32.9% buy cigarettes in a store

58.9% who bought cigarettes in a store were NOT refused purchase because of their age

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

39.5% live in homes where others smoke in their presence

52.6% are around others who smoke in places outside their home

81.7% think smoking should be banned from public places

75.5% think smoke from others is harmful to them

41.4% have one or more parents who smoke

61.3% have most or all friends who smoke

Cessation - Current Smokers

41.3% want to stop smoking

58.4% tried to stop smoking during the past year

72.9% have ever received help to stop smoking

Media and Advertising

84.1% saw anti-smoking media messages, in the past 30 days

86.8% saw pro-cigarette ads on billboards, in the past 30 days

74.8% saw pro-cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days

16.3% have an object with a cigarette brand logo

13.3% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative

School

56.4% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking

33.5% had discussed in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke

49.1% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

•   Over 2 in 10 students currently use any form of tobacco; 20.8% of the students currently smoke cigarettes; 7.3% currently use some other form of tobacco.

•  ETS exposure is high–almost 4 in 10 students live in homes where others smoke and over 5 in 10 are exposed to smoke around others outside of the home; over 4 in 10 students have a parent who smokes and over 6 in 10 students have friends who smoke.

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

•  4 in 10 current smokers want to stop smoking.

•  Over 1 in 10 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.