Smoking on campus: An examination of smoking behaviours among post-secondary students in Canada

Background: Much of the literature on smoking behaviours has focused on adult populations and, more recently, on children and adolescents. A very small body of work has begun to emerge on smoking behaviours among post-secondary students. Methods: Using the 1994-95 National Population Health Survey, we examined smoking prevalence, age of smoking initiation, and smoking cessation behaviours of post-secondary students, under 30 years old. Results: Approximately 26% of post-secondary students smoke either occasionally or regularly. Among current smokers, some 27% began to smoke after the age of 17; among former smokers, 57% quit in their 20s. Interpretation: Smoking prevalence is relatively high in adolescents, and many smokers begin to smoke at about the age they enter university or college. Further research is required to better understand smoking behaviour among this largely overlooked sub-group in the population