Canadians and Smoke-Free Alternatives
Nearly
6-in-10 smokers in Canada plan to quit cigarettes and switch to smoke-free
devices
Toronto, May 22nd
— In a random sampling of public opinion taken by Forum Research among
1082 Canadians 19 years of age or older,
on behalf of Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, over half
(56%) of respondents who smoke regularly or occasionally, and have never used
tobacco reduced risk products, plan to change from smoking cigarettes. 4 in 10
(44%) do not plan on changing.
Majority
of regular or occasional smokers say they are likely to use a smoke-free
product to help them switch
The majority (TOP2: 72%) of the respondents who smoke regularly or
occasionally and have never used tobacco reduced risk products, and who plan on
changing from smoking cigarettes, say they are likely to use a smoke-free
product to help them switch from smoking cigarettes (caution small sample
size n=55). 4 in 10 (40%) say they are very likely (caution small sample
size n=55).
A quarter (BTM2: 28%) say they are unlikely, while a fifth (21%) say
they are not likely at all (caution small sample size n=55).
A spilt
between what is needed to persuade the switch from cigarettes to smoke-free
alternatives
Nearly 4 in 10 (37%) respondents say more information to compare
smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes would help persuade them or a cigarette
smoker in their life to change to a smoke-free alternative.
A third (34%) say more information to become aware of smoke-free
alternatives to cigarettes would help persuade them or a cigarette smoker in
their life.
Almost a third (29%) say lower taxes to make it more affordable to
switch to smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes would help persuade them or a
cigarette smoker in their life.
Almost
half think tobacco reduced risk products are a better alternative
Almost half (46%) of respondents who have never smoked, or quit
smoking, but have never used a smoke-free product think that tobacco reduced
risk products are a better alternative than smoking cigarettes.
Those most likely to say that tobacco reduced risk products are a
better alternative are those aged 19 to 24 (72%), and living in the Maritimes
(55%), or Alberta (52%).
4 in 10
regular or occasional cigarette smokers have used tobacco reduced risk products
to reduce their cigarette consumption
4 in 10 (39%) respondents who smoke occasionally or regularly, and
have used tobacco reduced risk products, have used these products to help them
smoke less cigarettes. 6 in 10 (61%) say they do not use these alternatives to
smoke less cigarettes.
Almost
half of respondents who used to smoke, used a tobacco reduced risk product to
help them switch from smoking cigarettes
Nearly half (44%) of respondents who used to smoke cigarettes but do
not anymore, say they used a tobacco reduced risk product to help them switch
from smoking cigarettes (caution small sample size n=68). A similar
proportion said they did not use reduced risk products to switch from smoking
cigarettes (56%).
9 in 10
say they are aware of smoke-free products
The majority (TOP2: 93%) of respondents are aware of
smoke-free products such as heating, vaping or e-cigarette devices that can
help adult smokers switch from cigarettes to other alternatives, with three
quarters (75%) saying they are very aware.
Few (BTM2: 7%) are not very aware, while even fewer (3%)
are not aware at all.
Those most likely to be aware are males (95%), aged 19 to
24 (95%), 25 to 34 (94%), 35 to 44 (95%), 45 to 54 (95%), or 55 to 64 (95%),
and living in Québec (95%), Ontario (92%), the Prairies
(MB/SK) (92%), or British Columbia (93%).
8 in 10
say smoke-free devices should only be sold to adult smokers
8 in 10 (TOP2: 78%) respondents say smoke-free devices such as
heating, vaping, or e-cigarette devices should only be sold to current adult
smokers who won´t quit, to help switch them away from cigarettes, while half (52%)
agree strongly.
A quarter (BTM2: 22%) disagree, with 1 in 10 (11%) saying they disagree
strongly.
Those most likely to agree are females (82%), aged 75 and older
(90%), and living in Québec (86%).
Those most likely to disagree are males (25%), aged 19 to 24 (28%),
or 35 to 44 (25%), and living in Alberta (37%).
A
quarter of respondents say they have used tobacco reduced risk products
A quarter (25%) of respondents say they have used tobacco reduced
risk products such as heating devices, vaping devices or electronic cigarettes.
Three quarters (75%) of respondents have not.
Those most likely to say they have used tobacco reduced risk
products are males (34%), aged 19 to 24 (53%), and living in the Prairies
(MB/SK) (31%), Ontario (28%) or British Columbia (28%).
Those most likely to say they have not used tobacco reduced risk
products are female (83%), aged 75 and older (96%), and living in Québec (84%).
Of
those who have used tobacco reduced risk products, the majority have used vaping
devices most often
Of those who have used tobacco reduced risk products, over half
(57%) use vaping devices most often, a third (36%) use e-cigarettes most often,
and few (7%) use heating devices most often.
Of those who have used tobacco reduced risk products, such as
e-cigarettes and vaping devices most, a fifth (20%) have used a heating device.
Of those who have used tobacco reduced risk products, such as
e-cigarettes and heating devices most, about two-thirds (64%) have used a
vaping device.
Of those who have used tobacco reduced risk products, such as vaping
and heating devices most, half (52%) have used an e-cigarette.
Respondents
current behavior with cigarettes
4 in 10 (43%) of respondents have never smoked cigarettes.
A third (34%) of respondents used to smoke cigarettes, but don’t
anymore.
A sixth (17%) of respondents smoke regularly.
Few (6%) respondents smoke occasionally.
“4 in 10 respondents
who smoke cigarettes have used tobacco reduced risk products to help reduce
their cigarette consumption.” said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff, President of Forum
Research. “Awareness of smoke-free products is very high amongst Canadians, and
we may be observing a shift in attitudes towards cigarette smoking."
Lorne Bozinoff,
Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at
lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.
