Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

Prevalence

52.4% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Boys = 52.2%, Girls = 51.4%)

22.9% currently use any tobacco product (Boys = 21.4%, Girls = 22.8%)

19.9% currently smoke cigarettes (Boys = 17.9%, Girls = 20.3%)

5.7% currently use other tobacco products (Boys = 6.1%, Girls = 4.6%)

28.1% of never smokers are likely to initiate smoking next year

Knowledge and Attitudes

19.8% think boys and 35.0% think girls who smoke have more friends

12.2% think boys and 29.2% think girls who smoke look more attractive

12.7% usually smoke at home

34.3% buy cigarettes in a store

65.3% who bought cigarettes in a store were NOT refused purchase because of their age

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

46.2% live in homes where others smoke in their presence

59.2% are around others who smoke in places outside their home

56.0% think smoking should be banned from public places

78.6% think smoke from others is harmful to them

43.1% have one or more parents who smoke

58.3% have most or all friends who smoke

Cessation - Current Smokers

52.7% want to stop smoking

62.0% tried to stop smoking during the past year

64.7% have ever received help to stop smoking

Media and Advertising

84.9% saw anti-smoking media messages, in the past 30 days

88.8% saw pro-cigarette ads on billboards, in the past 30 days

75.6% saw pro-cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days

12.5% have an object with a cigarette brand logo

10.3% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative

School

71.1% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking

43.5% had discussed in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke

65.2% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

• 22.9% of students currently use any form of tobacco; 19.9% currently smoke cigarettes; 5.7% currently use some other form of tobacco.

• ETS exposure indicates that–almost half the students live in homes where others smoke in their presence and 60% are exposed to smoke around others outside of the home; almost 50% of the students have a parent who smokes; over half of the students have friends who smoke.

• Over 4 in 10 of the students have  parents who smoke.

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

• 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.