Secondary school students appear to be abandoning cigarettes for cigars

Montréal, November 21, 2007 – Between 2004 and 2006, cigarette smoking dropped from 19% to 15% among Québec students in Secondary I to V. However, cigar or cigarillo smoking (22%) now proportionately exceeds cigarette smoking. Roughly 11% of non-cigarette smokers said they smoke cigars or cigarillos. Those are the findings of the Enquête québécoise sur le tabac, l’alcool, la drogue et le jeu chez les élèves du secondaire (Québec survey on tobacco, alcohol, drugs and gambling among secondary school students), published today by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.

The report also shows that there are still more girls than boys who smoke (17% compared with 13%).

The percentage of drinkers has also declined, from 63% in 2004 to 60% in 2006. But excessive drinking is still as popular among the students: 66% of those who drank did so excessively and 23% excessively and repeatedly.

The proportion of those who take drugs also decreased significantly, from 36% (in 2004) to 30% (in 2006), particularly among users of cannabis (from 36% to 29%), hallucinogens (from 11% to 9%), cocaine (from 5% to 3.3%), solvents (from 1.9% to 0.9%) and heroin (from 1.3% to 0.6%). However, the following was observed: girls are once again more inclined than boys to take amphetamines (11% compared with 8%), 7% of the students have an emerging drinking and drug problem and 7% have a major substance abuse problem requiring specialized professional intervention.

A smaller proportion of the students are interested in games of chance and gambling than in 2004 (45% compared with 36%). However, more boys than girls run the risk of developing gambling problems (13% compared with 7%) and 7% of the students are now probably pathological gamblers. Lastly, poker is popular among the students: 15% have played the game for money with friends during a 12-month period.

The Institut de la statistique du Québec produces and disseminates relevant, reliable, and timely statistical information on the socioeconomic development of Québec. It is the central authority for the production and dissemination of official statistical information for Québec government departments and agencies. It is also responsible for conducting statistical surveys of general interest.

Sources :

Émilie Grenier, Communications Advisor
Tel. (418) 691-2403, extension 3034
Institut de la statistique du Québec

Gaëtane Dubé, Project Manager
Tel. (514) 873-4749, extension 6130
Institut de la statistique du Québec

Information and Documentation Centre (ISQ)
Phone: (418) 691-2401
or 1-800-463-4090 (toll free in Canada and the United States)