Adult Smoking Status

In 2007, 22% (21.6%, 22.9%) of Ontario adults (20+ years) identified themselves as current smokers, of which 18% (16.9%, 18.6%) reported smoking daily. The percentage of current adult smokers in Simcoe Muskoka was higher than the provincial rate. One in four, or 25% (21.9%, 29.0%) of adults (20+ years) in Simcoe Muskoka reported they smoked, including 20% (17.4%, 23.9%) who are daily smokers.

Since 2000/01, there has been a downward trend in daily smoking among adults (20+ years) in Simcoe Muskoka (Figure 1).

Figure 1:

In 2007 in Simcoe Muskoka among adults 20 years and older, 29% (24.0%, 34.7%) of men reported that they were current smokers, which was higher than the 22% (18.0%, 26.7%) of women that reported as current smokers. Smoking among Simcoe Muskoka women has been declining over the past seven years; whereas male smoking in 2007 has nearly risen back to what it was 2000/01 after declining in both 2003 and 2005 (Figure 2).

Figure 2:

In the adult population, smoking rates decrease as age increases. In 2007, 32% (26.8%, 38.6%) of adults 20-44 years reported that they currently smoked. The rate dropped to 24% (18.3%, 30.2%) among 45-64 year olds, and fell by more than half again to 11%* (7.6%, 16.9%) among seniors 65 years and older (Figure 3). (*Interpret with caution, high variability*)

Figure 3:

Level of education also plays a significant role in smoking rates with smoking levels dropping as education levels increase.

In 2007, 39% (35.9%, 42.3%) of Ontario adults 20-44 years old who had some high school education or completed high school smoked, compared with 29% (26.6%, 31.5%) of those with a trade certificate or college diploma and only 12% (9.6%, 14.4%) of those with a university degree or higher (Figure 4).

Figure 4: