University of Waterloo 200 University Ave. W. Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 tel 519 888 4520 fax 519 746 8171 propel@uwaterloo.ca uwaterloo.ca/propel In Brief: Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Use in Prince Edward Island and Canada, Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey Lasted Updated: March 15, 2018 The Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (; formerly the Youth Smoking Survey (YSS)) is a biennial school-based survey of Canadian students in grades 6-12. The Propel Centre for Population Health Impact has led the implementation of since 2004. In the province of Prince Edward Island, has been implemented alongside the SHAPES-PEI survey since 2008. This collaboration has resulted in a near-census sample of schools participating in the survey and a random sample of eligible students in those schools. Additional information about the survey can be found at cstads.ca. Tobacco Use in Prince Edward Island and Canada, 2008/2009-2014/2015 The following table displays tobacco use rates in Prince Edward Island and Canada using a variety of standard measures. In Prince Edward Island, tobacco use rates on all measures outlined in Table 1 are significantly higher than the national rates in 2014/2015. Additionally, the 2014/2015 results show a statistically significant increase in the use of menthol cigarettes and little cigars or cigarillos in Prince Edward Island since 2012/2013. Menthol and other youth-targeted flavouring entice students to start using tobacco products. Prince Edward Island can join in support for a renewed federal tobacco strategy and set its own targets for reducing use. Table 1: Tobacco Use (percentage) in Prince Edward Island and Canada, Grade 6-12 Students, 2008/2009-2014/2015 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey 2014/2015 2012/2013 2010/2011 2008/2009 PE CA PE CA PE CA PE CA Current smoking (cigarettes) 6.6 3.4 6.8 4.5 6.0 5.6 7.6 7.7 Ever tried cigarettes 25.5 17.6 24.8 23.8 25.0 26.2 29.8 33.3 Cigarette use (past 30 days) 11.5 6.2 10.1 7.9 9.9 9.7 12.0 12.9 E-cigarette use (past 30 days) 9.8 5.7 - - - - - - Menthol cigarette use (past 30 days) * 4.3 2.7 3.0 2.8 3.4 3.2 - - Little cigars or cigarillos use (past 30 days) 5.4 4.0 4.3 4.6 3.5 5.3 6.1 9.1 Any tobacco product use (past 30 days) 16.1 10.3 14.2 12.6 12.4 14.0 15.3 18.3 * Includes respondents who indicated they used menthol in the last 30 days among all respondents in 2012/2013 and 2010/2011. Question format change in 2014/2015 and missing respondents removed from denominator in 2008/2009, 2010/2011 and 2012/2013. Includes cigarettes, pipe, little cigars or cigarillos, cigars, roll-your-own, bidis, smokeless, water-pipe, and blunt wraps. Bidis, blunt wraps and water-pipe were not included on the 2008/2009 questionnaire and pipe was not included in the 2014/2015 questionnaire. Note: The 2014/2015 results reported for PE are statistically significantly higher than the 2014/2015 results for the rest of Canada. 1
Figure 1: Current Smoking in PE and Canada, Grade 6-12 students, 2008-2014/15 1 7.6% 7.7% 6.8% 6.6% 5.6% 4.5% 3.4% Current Smoking PE Current Smoking Canada Figure 2: Ever Tried Smoking Cigarettes PE and Canada, Grade 6-12 students, 2008-2014/15 4 3 2 33.3% 29.8% 26.2% 24.8% 25.5% 25.0% 23.8% 17.6% 1 Ever Tried Smoking PE Ever Tried Smoking Canada Figure 3: Cigarette Use in the past 30 days in PE and Canada, Grade 6-12 students, 2008-2014/15 1 1 1 12.9% 1 9.9% 10.1% 11.5% 9.7% 7.9% 6.2% Cigarette Use (past 30 days) PE Cigarette Use (past 30 days) Canada 2
Figure 4: Menthol Cigarette Use in the past 30 days in PE and Canada, Grade 6-12 students, 2010-2014/15 5.0% 3.0% 1.0% 4.3% 3.4% 3.0% 3.2% 2.8% 2.7% 2010/2011 2012/2013 2014/2015 Menthol Cigarette Use (past 30 days) PE Menthol Cigarette Use (past 30 days) Canada Figure 5: Little Cigar/Cigarillos Use in the past 30 days in PE and Canada, Grade 6-12 students, 2008-2014/15 1 9.1% 6.1% 5.3% 4.6% 5.4% 4.3% 3.5% Use of little cigars or cigarillos (past 30 days) PE Use of little cigars or cigarillos (past 30 days) Canada Figure 6: Use of Any Tobacco Product in the past 30 days in PE and Canada, Grade 6-12 students, 2008-2014/15 2 15.0% 18.3% 15.3% 1 14.2% 16.1% 1 12.4% 12.6% 10.3% 5.0% Use of any tobacco product (past 30 days) PE Use of any tobacco product (past 30 days) Canada 3
Alcohol and Drug Use in Prince Edward Island and Canada, 2008/2009 2014/2015 The following table displays alcohol and drug use rates in Prince Edward Island and Canada. Alcohol use, binge drinking and cannabis use rates in Prince Edward Island are significantly higher than the national rates in 2014/2015. Additionally, the 2014/2015 Prince Edward Island results show a statistically significant increase in the use of alcohol since 2012/2013. Table 2: Alcohol and Drug Use (percentage) in Prince Edward Island and Canada, Grade 7-12 Students, 2008/2009 2014/2015 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey 2014/2015 2012/2013 2010/2011 2008/2009 PE CA PE CA PE CA PE CA Alcohol Use (past 12 months) 42.8 39.5 38.8 40.9 41.8 45.4 45.7 53.0 Binge drinking (past 12 months) * 32.2 23.7 31.2 29.2 32.5 33.3 36.6 39.0 Cannabis use (past 12 months) 24.8 16.5 20.7 19.3 18.8 21.2 17.9 27.3 Pharmaceutical use (past 12 months) 4.9 3.7 5.6 4.0 6.2 5.3 7.6 6.7 * Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks of alcohol on one occasion. Includes sedatives or tranquilizers, stimulants, medicine to treat ADHD, and pain relievers. 2014/2015 also includes oxycodone and fentanyl. Note: The 2014/2015 results for PE for alcohol use, binge drinking and cannabis use are statistically significantly higher than the 2014/2015 results for the rest of Canada. Figure 7: Alcohol Use in the past 12 months in PE and Canada, Grade 7-12 students, 2008-2014/15 6 5 4 3 53.0% 45.7% 45.4% 41.8% 40.9% 38.8% 42.8% 39.5% 2 1 Alcohol Use (past 12 months) PE Alcohol Use (past 12 months) Canada Figure 8: Binge Drinking in the past 12 months in PE and Canada, Grade 7-12 students, 2008-2014/15 5 4 3 2 1 39.0% 33.3% 31.2% 36.6% 32.2% 32.5% 29.2% 23.7% Binge Drinking (past 12 months) PE Binge Drinking (past 12 months) Canada 4
Figure 9: Cannabis Use in the past 12 months in PE and Canada, Grade 7-12 students, 2008-2014/15 4 3 2 1 27.3% 17.9% 21.2% 18.8% 20.7% 24.8% 19.3% 16.5% Cannabis Use (past 12 months) PE Cannabis Use (past 12 months) Canada Acknowledgements These analyses were supported by the Canadian Cancer Society grant #2011-701019, through the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact. Data used for this research were taken from Health Canada s Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (formerly the Youth Smoking Survey), which was conducted for Health Canada by the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact at the University of Waterloo. Health Canada has not reviewed, approved, nor endorsed this research. Any views expressed or conclusions drawn herein do not necessarily represent those of Health Canada. Suggested citation Manske S, Cumming T, Rynard V. (2016). In Brief: Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Use in Prince Edward Island and Canada, 2008/2009 2014/2015 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey. Waterloo, Ontario: Propel Centre for Population Health Impact, University of Waterloo. Prepared by Propel Centre for Population Health Impact. For further information regarding this summary, please contact: Propel founded by: propel@uwaterloo.ca 5