Key Messages
First Cigarette
Daily Smoking Initiation
Key Messages
- About half of current or former smokers in Simcoe Muskoka smoked their first cigarette before they were 16 years old.
- One quarter of current or former daily smokers started smoking daily before they were 16 years old.
- Provincially, early daily smoking initiation is highest among those with lower levels education and those living with lower income.
First Cigarette
- According to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), from 2015-2020, about half of current or former adult (19+ years) smokers in Simcoe Muskoka reported smoking their first whole cigarette before they were 16 years of age and less than one-fifth reported waiting until they were at least 19 years of age (the legal smoking age in Ontario) before smoking their first cigarette.
- The rate of first smoking before 16 years of age was significantly higher in Simcoe Muskoka at 45% (12.7%, 48.2%), when compared with the province overall at 39% (38.5%, 40.1%).
- Also from (CCHS) in 2015-2020, current or former daily smokers were asked when they first began to smoke cigarettes daily.
- One-quarter (25% (16.1%, 34.5%)) of Simcoe Muskoka adult (19+ years) current or former daily smokers reported smoking daily before the age of 16, which was similar to the provincial average for the same survey period.
- Provincially, early daily smoking initiation is highest among those with lower levels of income and education.
- According the CCHS, in 2015-2020, the per cent of Ontario daily smokers (19+ years) that began smoking daily before 16 years of age was highest among those with a high school diploma or less at 27% (25.5%, 28.4%) and lowest was those with a University degree or higher at 11% (9.8%, 13.0%).
- Daily smoking before 16 years of age is also highest among those in the lowest income quintile with 24% (22.3%, 25.6%) of current or former daily smokers in Ontario in the lowest income quintile starting daily smoking before age 16, compared to 18% (16.1%, 19.2%) among those in the highest income quintile.
Further Reading
For more information on smoking related harms and for support to quit smoking, see:
Page Last Modified: May 5, 2023