Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

Prevalence

53.0% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Boy = 51.2%, Girl = 53.4%)

24.0% currently use any tobacco product (Boy = 25.3%, Girl = 21.4%)

20.2% currently smoke cigarettes (Boy = 20.1%, Girl = 19.3%)

7.4% currently use other tobacco products (Boy = 9.3%, Girl = 5.0%)

25.1% of never smokers are likely to initiate smoking next year

Knowledge and Attitudes

23.5% think boys and 34.1% think girls who smoke have more friends

13.0% think boys and 28.8% think girls who smoke look more attractive

13.0% usually smoke at home

38.4% buy cigarettes in a store

61.8% who bought cigarettes in a store were NOT refused purchase because of their age

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

48.8% live in homes where others smoke in their presence

56.4% are around others who smoke in places outside their home

46.9% think smoking should be banned from public places

73.8% think smoke from others is harmful to them

51.9% have one or more parents who smoke

63.9% have most or all friends who smoke

Cessation - Current Smokers

52.8% want to stop smoking

56.2% tried to stop smoking during the past year

66.1% have ever received help to stop smoking

Media and Advertising

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

85.8% saw pro-cigarette ads on billboards, in the past 30 days

73.1% saw pro-cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days

17.6% have an object with a cigarette brand logo

11.9% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative

School

46.8% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking

27.9% had discussed in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke

39.3% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

• 24% of students currently use any form of tobacco; one out of five students currently smoke cigarettes; 7.4% currently use some other form of tobacco.

• ETS exposure is high–almost half the students live in homes where others smoke and 56% are exposed to smoke around others outside of the home; half of the students have a parent who smokes and over 60% of the students have friends who smoke.

• Approximately three quarters of the 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.