Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

Prevalence

40.7% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Male = 36.8%, Female = 42.6%)

20.5% currently use any tobacco product (Male = 19.9%, Female = 19.3%)

15.4% currently smoke cigarettes (Male = 13.4%, Female = 15.8%)

6.8% currently use other tobacco products (Male = 8.9%, Female = 4.5%)

15.0% of never smokers are likely to initiate smoking next year
 

Knowledge and Attitude

14.9% think boys and 12.5% think girls who smoke have more friends

5.8% think boys and 4.8% think girls who smoke look more attractive
 

Access and Availability—Current Smokers

19.3% usually smoke at home

44.4% buy cigarettes in a store

88.0% who bought cigarettes in a store were NOT refused purchase because of their age
 

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

37.2% live in homes where others smoke in their presence

51.3% are around others who smoke in places outside their home

85.2% think smoking should be banned from public places

68.0% think smoke from others is harmful to them

39.2% have one or more parents who smoke

10.9% have most or all friends who smoke
 

Cessation—Current Smokers

51.7% want to stop smoking

55.9% tried to stop smoking during the past year

72.6% have ever received help to stop smoking
 

Media and Advertising

87.7% saw antismoking media messages, in the past 30 days

70.4% saw pro–cigarette ads on billboards, in the past 30 days

53.9% saw pro–cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days

6.8% have an object with a cigarette brand logo

8.3% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative
 

School

38.2% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking

21.5% had discussed in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke

34.3% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

• One out of five students currently use any form of tobacco; 15% currently smoke cigarettes; 7% currently use some other form of tobacco.

• ETS exposure is high—over one third of the students live in homes where others smoke in their presence; half of the students are exposed to smoke in public places; approximately 2 in 5 have a parent who smokes.

• Approximately over two thirds of the students think smoke from others is harmful to them.

• Over 8 in 10 students think smoking in public places should be banned.

• Over 8 in 10 students saw antismoking media messages in the past 30 days; 7 in 10 students saw pro–cigarette ads on billboards in the past 30 days; over half of the students saw pro–cigarette ads in print media.