Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

Prevalence

34.0% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Boy = 38.2%, Girl = 30.3%)

16.8% currently use any tobacco product (Boy = 18.5%, Girl = 14.8%)

11.5% currently smoke cigarettes (Boy = 12.4%, Girl = 10.4%)

7.9% currently use other tobacco products (Boy = 9.2%, Girl = 6.4%)

22.2% of never smokers are likely to initiate smoking next year

Knowledge and Attitudes

19.4% think boys and 33.2% think girls who smoke have more friends

10.5% think boys and 24.5% think girls who smoke look more attractive

17.9% usually smoke at home

26.9% buy cigarettes in a store

69.4% who bought cigarettes in a store were NOT refused purchase because of their age

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

34.9% live in homes where others smoke in their presence

47.9% are around others who smoke in places outside their home

91.5% think smoking should be banned from public places

81.6% think smoke from others is harmful to them

39.9% have one or more parents who smoke

51.7% have most or all friends who smoke

Cessation - Current Smokers

32.9% want to stop smoking

58.4% tried to stop smoking during the past year

53.6% have ever received help to stop smoking

Media and Advertising

87.2% saw anti-smoking media messages, in the past 30 days

88.3% saw pro-cigarette ads on billboards, in the past 30 days

74.5% saw pro-cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days

11.2% have an object with a cigarette brand logo

10.1% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative

School

55.8% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking

25.4% had discussed in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke

49.7% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

•   Almost 2 in 10 students currently use any form of tobacco; 11.5% of the students currently smoke cigarettes; 7.9% 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; almost 4 in 10 students have a parent who smokes and 5 in 10 students have friends who smoke.

•   Over 8 in 10 students think smoke from others is harmful to them.

•   Almost 3 in 10 current smokers want to stop smoking.

•   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.