The base survey found that irritation to eyes, breathing or throat is reported by 57% of non-smoking teens which is slightly lower than for the province overall (63%). Female non-smokers are more likely than males to be irritated by ETS. Even 47% of current teen smokers report irritation which is higher than for the province overall where only 39% of smokers report irritation.

The majority of teen smokers participating in the focus groups reported that they are not irritated by secondhand smoke, but for some this is due to being accustomed to ETS exposure. In fact, one participant mentioned that her friend did not have the usual coughing and hacking reaction to trying cigarettes for the first time because her parents had already exposed her to so much secondhand smoke and she therefore had a much easier time picking up smoking.

The data in the graph below obtained from the base survey shows that 32% of teens who do not currently smoke are exposed to ETS daily or nearly daily either at home, work/school or in other indoor settings. This proportion is almost twice that observed for non-smoking residents in the province (18%). Moreover, this 32% of non-smoking teens that are exposed to ETS daily or nearly daily, translates into 26% of all teen residents.

Not only is ETS exposure in the home greater for non-smoking teens than for all non-smoking residents in the province (21% vs. 7%) but it is also higher for other indoor settings (11% vs. 6%). Exposure to ETS among non-smoking teens in these other indoor settings in general the same as for all non-smokers with two exceptions. Non-smoking teens are more likely than all non-smokers to report ETS exposure in other people’s homes (68% vs. 51%) and on transportation (36% vs. 15%).

Almost one-fifth (18%) of households in B.C. with children aged 11 and under are exposed to ETS daily or nearly daily; 72% of these households have no ETS exposure. Daily or nearly daily exposure in households with children ranges from just 15% in the Lower Mainland to about 20% in the Southern Interior and Island/Coast, to a high of 25% in the North.

Results from the advanced survey indicate that the majority of B.C. teens have some concern about the health effects of secondhand smoke (67%) and agreed that non-smokers have a right to a smoke free environment in their workplace (80%). The minority said they do not mind when other people smoke in their presence (35%), and that people should be able to smoke wherever they want (13%). These results are generally similar to that for all B.C. residents, however, teens are slightly less concerned about exposure to ETS and its health effects.

The focus groups revealed rather large differences in attitudes toward secondhand smoke amongst female and male teen smokers. Female respondents were much more supportive of non-smoking areas and providing non-smokers with the opportunity to have a smoke-free environment. Male respondents believe that non-smokers could leave the area if they did not want to be subjected to secondhand smoke. However, both male and female smokers were very sympathetic to the effects of secondhand smoke on babies and young children. The explanation for their concern about children and ETS stems from children’s inability to defend themselves or make their own choices. Although some feel that non-smokers could simply leave an area where ETS was a concern for them, teen smokers feel strongly that helpless children need to be protected from something beyond their control which they admit is harmful. Most said that they themselves would not smoke around babies or young children (or the very old). They also stated that they would not smoke around their own (future) children. Quite a few of the female teens stated that they would quit in a second if they got pregnant.

The advanced survey asked teens which section they would choose (smoking or non-smoking) if they were to go to a restaurant or bar. Three-quarters (75%) reported they would choose the non-smoking section, while 14% said they would choose the smoking section. The remaining 11% said that it would make no difference which section they sat in. In addition, 70% of teens would support a bylaw in their community prohibiting smoking in all indoor public places. These responses are very similar to that for all B.C. residents.

From the focus groups it is apparent that teens have become accustomed to the new smoking bylaws, as most reported that they had no real problems with them or were only slightly inconvenienced. A few said that these bylaws went too far. When presented with the concept of expanding on the current bylaws (perhaps to bars and clubs) there was a consensus that this was definitely going too far and that people would not stand for it.