Tobacco & Vaping 101: Newfoundland and Labrador

Canadian lawmakers often face misinformation regarding adult smoking and vaping habits. This misinformation can lead to misguided legislation and regulation. The analysis provided contains current data on the use of cigarettes and e-cigarette products among adults and youth in Newfoundland and Labrador, along with information on cigarette sales and provincial tobacco tax revenues.

Key Points: 

• In 2022, 47,239 individuals (10.2 percent) aged 15 or older in Newfoundland and Labrador were currently smoking, a 13.3 percent increase from 2021. Smoking rates in the province are 6.6 percent lower than Canada’s national average.
• In 2022, 26.6 percent of persons in Newfoundland and Labrador were formerly smoking and 63.2 percent reported having never smoked.
• Smoking rates were highest among adults aged 45 years old older, which was 15.4 percent higher than the overall provincial smoking rate, but 3.3 percent lower than the national average in the same age group.
• In 2022, 31,487 individuals (6.8 percent) in Newfoundland and Labrador were using e-cigarettes, a 9.7 percent increase from 2021. The provincial vaping rate is 15.9 percent higher than the national average of 5.8 percent.
• In 2021-22, 2.5 percent of Newfoundland and Labrador youth in Grades 7 through 12 were smoking cigarettes, a 50 percent decline from 2018-19.
• In 2021-22, 26.6 percent of youth were vaping, an 11 percent decline from 2018-19. Vaping rates decreased by 10 percent for youth in Grades 7 through 9, and by 6.2 percent for youth in Grades 10 through 12.
• In 2021-22, among youth using e-cigarettes, the most cited reason for using e-cigarettes was to “relax or relieve tension” as reported by 24.4 percent of youth. Only six percent reported using e-cigarettes because of flavours.
• In 2021, more than 350.5 million cigarette units were sold in Newfoundland and Labrador, a 30.8 percent decline from 2020, representing over 155.9 million fewer cigarettes sold.
• Despite declining smoking rates between 2020 and 2021, Newfoundland and Labrador collected over $134.7 million in provincial taxes from tobacco and vapor products in 2020-21, an 8.3 percent increase from the previous year.