Northern B.C. Youth Face Alarming Rates of Nicotine Use

Strategic Insights -

A recent survey has uncovered disturbing trends in northern B.C. youth, particularly in the areas of vaping and smoking. The 2023 BC Adolescent Health Survey, conducted by the McCreary Centre Society, revealed that the Health Service Delivery Areas in the North - Northeast, Northern Interior, and Northwest - had significantly higher rates of nicotine use compared to the provincial averages. The survey's findings are a cause for concern, as they highlight the need for further research to determine the underlying factors contributing to these alarming rates.

Key Takeaways:

  • Forty-one percent of northern B.C. youth have vaped, with 47 percent of Northwest youth being the most likely to have vaped, significantly higher than Northeast and Northern Interior youth, who were at 41 and 37 percent respectively.
  • Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of youth who tried vaping had vaped in the past 30 days, with similar rates in all three northern regions.
  • Eighty percent of youth who vaped daily vaped within 30 minutes of waking up, with 49 percent vaping within only five minutes.
  • Twenty-five percent of northern B.C. youth had smoked, with 27 percent of females, compared to 22 percent of males.
  • The provincial rate for youth who have tried smoking was 15 percent, while the rate among northern B.C. youth was 26 percent, with 30 percent in the Northwest, 26 in the Northeast, and 21 in the Northern Interior.
  • Thirty-three percent of youth who ever smoked waited until they were 15 or older to do so, a decrease compared to the 39 percent in 2018.
  • Northwest youth were more likely to have smoked in the past month, with 53 percent, compared to 43 percent of Northeast youth.

Statistics:

  • 14,674 students from grade 7 to 12 participated in the BC Adolescent Health Survey (2023).
  • 41 percent of northern B.C. youth have vaped, compared to the provincial average of 26 percent.
  • 47 percent of Northwest youth had vaped, compared to 41 percent and 37 percent in Northeast and Northern Interior youth, respectively.
  • 65 percent of youth who tried vaping had vaped in the past 30 days.
  • 80 percent of youth who vaped daily vaped within 30 minutes of waking up.
  • 49 percent of youth vaped within five minutes.
  • 25 percent of northern B.C. youth had smoked, with 27 percent of females and 22 percent of males.

Sources:

  • BC Adolescent Health Survey (2023) by the McCreary Centre Society
  • Northern Health Statement