In Canada, more teens are smoking flavored tobacco-and the Canadian Cancer Society isn't happy.
Established by the Canadian Cancer Society and the University of Waterloo, the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact, which conducts research and assessment as well as provide education with regard to youth health and tobacco use and control, performed a study on the growth of flavored tobacco use among the teens between 2012 and 2013. It is an update to a similar survey conducted from 2010 to 2011.
More than 47,000 students from grades 6 to 12 across several provinces in Canada such as Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island participated in the survey with an average response rate of 72%.
Using the answers in the survey questionnaires, the researchers discovered that around 50% of Canadian students between grades 9 and 12 who had smoked tobacco for the last 30 days used flavored ones. The percentage is higher among males at 56% than 43% among females. The most popular flavor is menthol, which was smoked by 29% of the respondents over the same period. Use of flavored tobacco differs among provinces.
This recent statistics alarms the Canadian Cancer Society, and they view flavored tobacco as a huge threat to the health of the youth. They call on the legislation to ban them in the market as soon as possible.
In Canada's Tobacco Act, flavors, except menthol, are not allowed on cigarettes, blunt wraps, and cigarillos. However, manufacturers are able to add more flavor by taking advantage of the lower gram weight of the cigarillos.
Based on the data found on the Lung Association in Canada, more than 80,000 teens all around the globe have already started smoking, and around 20% of Canada teens from 12 to 19 years old smoke occasionally or on a daily basis. The statistics are higher among men than women.
As to the reasons why the youth smoke early, the Youth Smoking Survey conducted between 2008 and 2009 among grades 6 to 12 enumerated peer pressure, media, advertising, adult smoking as some of the most common causes. Teens also smoke to effectively cope with stress.
