Six In Ten (61%) Canadian Smokers Plan To Quit In 2004

Toronto, ON - A new survey finds that 61% of current smokers in Canada plan on quitting in 2004. Half (50%) of those planning to quit say they are going to go "cold turkey", and almost as many (45%) plan to use an aid, such as nicotine patches, gum or prescription drugs to help them quit. Among those who intend to quit, 38% indicate that the new tax increase in cigarettes is a factor in their decision to give up the habit.

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/Pfizer Canada Inc. poll conducted between December 16th and 19th, 2003. The survey questions were asked as part of a national telephone omnibus survey of a randomly selected sample of 1,055 Canadian adults. An initial question identified 254 current smokers (25% overall), who were then asked a series of follow-up questions. With a sample size of 254, the results are considered accurate to within 177 6.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adult Canadians who smoke been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 2001 Census data.

One-Quarter (25%) Of Canadian Adults Currently Smoke Cigarettes, But Most (61%) Plan To Quit In 2004

One quarter (25%) of Canadians aged 18 and older currently smoke cigarettes (27% of men, 24% of women).

• Younger Canadians are more likely to smoke than their older counterparts (29% of 18-34 year olds, and 30% of 35-54 year olds, versus only 16% of those over the age of 54).

• While at least one quarter of respondents with lower levels of education smoke, only 16% of university grads are smokers.

Among the 254 Canadians polled who currently smoke cigarettes, 61% indicate that they plan to quit in 2004.

• Female smokers (71%) are more likely to indicate plans to quit than male smokers (53%).

Half (50%) Plan A "Cold Turkey" Approach, And Many (45%) Plan To Use An Aid

Of those planning to quit (sample size: 156), one half (50%) say they will go cold turkey rather than gradually reducing the number of cigarettes they smoke. However, that does not necessarily mean that survey respondents plan on "going it alone" when it comes to quitting smoking. In a subsequent question, 45% of those planning to quit indicate that they are planning to do so with a smoking cessation aid such as nicotine patches, a gum, or a prescription drug.

Tax Increase A Deciding Factor For 38%

Among the survey respondents who plan on quitting in 2004 (sample size: 156), about two in five (38%) say the new tax increase on cigarettes is a factor in their decision to quit smoking this year. If At First You Don't Succeed...

Of the 254 Canadians we spoke to who smoke cigarettes, 43% indicate that they had tried to quit during the year 2003. Three-quarters (76%) were unsuccessful.

Please open the attached PDF to view the factum and detailed tables.

-30-

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Susan Oakes
Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Healthcare Division
(416) 324-2900