Tobacco, alcohol and other drugs

The share of smokers is measured by two questions: "Do you sometimes smoke?" and "Do you smoke daily or occasionally?".

The share of snuff users is measured by one question: ´´Do you use snuff daily, occasionally, or never? ´´.

The share which drinks alcohol once a week is measured by two questions: "Have you been drinking alcohol for the past 12 months?" and "During the last 12 months, you will say that you have been drinking alcohol mostly daily, weekly, monthly or more rarely?

The share that have drunk six or more units on one occasion weekly is measured by the question: "In the past 12 months, how often have you drunk six or more units of alcohol on one occasion? Would you say daily, weekly, monthly or never?"

The share that has used cannabis once or more is measured by the question: "Have you ever tried cannabis? Cannabis includes cannabis, marijuana, cannabis oil, skunk and sensimilla."

The share that has used cannabis in the past 12 months is measured by the question: "Have you tried or used cannabis in the last 12 months?"

The share that have used sleeping pills for the last 12 months has been measured by the question: "In the past 12 months, have you used prescription sleeping pills? (For example, Imovane, Zopiclon, Stilnoct, Adodorm, Flumipam)."

The share that have used sleeping pills daily has been measured by the question: "Have you used sleeping pills of that kind daily or almost daily over a period of at least one week?"

The share that have used tranquillizers in the past 12 months is measured by the question: "In the past 12 months, have you used prescription tranquillizers? (For example, sobril, Valium and Vival")

The share that have used tranquillizers daily has been measured by the question: "Have you used tranquillizers of that kind daily or almost daily over a period of at least one week?"

The share that have used pain killers in the past 12 months is measured by the question: "In the past 12 months, have you used prescription pain killer? (For example, Paralgin Forte or Nobligan)

The share that have used pain killers daily is measured by the question: "Have you used pain killers of that kind daily or almost daily for a least one week?"

Note: The questions on smoke and snus goes to people 16-74 years old. While the questions on alcohol and medication goes to people 16-79 years and the questions on cannabis to 16-64 years old.

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Name: Tobacco, alcohol and other drugs
Topic: Health

Division for Health, care and social statistics

Statistics on smoking and snus is divided by county level, while statistics on alcohol and drugs is divided by region.

Data on smokers and snus users is collected quarterly and published annually at the beginning of each year.

For alcohol and other drugs the data is collected every spring and published during the Autumn.

Statistics Norway reports annual figures to the OECD and NOMESKO.

The final data are anonymized and sent to NSD - Norwegian Centre for Research Data.

The purpose of the survey is to obtain information about smoking habits in Norway. Statistics Norway has collected data on smoking habits since 1973 and on snuffing habits since 2008. The data is now collected on commission from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI).

Data on alcohol and other drugs is collected to obtain information on alcohol habits, drinking situations, alcohol volume, tobacco use, use of cannabis and other illigal drugs and addictive medication in Norway. Statistics Norway has collected data on alcohol and other drugs since 2012 on behalf of SIRUS/FHI.

The statistics are primarily used by the Directorate for Health as well as research institutions, the public and media.

No external users have access to the statistics and analyses before they are published and accessible simultaneously for all users on ssb.no at 8 am. Prior to this, a minimum of three months' advance notice is given inthe Statistics Release Calendar.

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The Statistics Act §2-1 (voluntary)

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The statistics on smoke and snus cover a representative sample of persons living in Norway aged 16–74 years. While the statistics on alcohol and drugs cover a representative sample of persons living in Norway 16-79 years old.

The questions about smoking habits are asked as a part of the quarterly Holiday and Travel Survey. The Statistics Norway’s population database is used to define the populations and draw the samples. In addition, information about the level of education is linked from register.

The survey is based on a representative sample of 2000 persons in the age of 16-74 years each quarter, in total 8000 persons per year. In the course of a year, four surveys with a total net sample of almost 4 500 are carried out. The results are published for the year as a whole.

Statistics Norway has conducted surveys on smoking habits since 1973. Since 2008, the survey also includes questions about Norwegians’ use of snuff on a quarterly basis.

The questions on alcohol and other drugs are asked as a part of the Survey on drugs and tobacco, and the data is collected on behalf of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Statistics Norway has conducted the survey annually since 2012.

The population are persons from private households, and a sample of 3000 is drawn among persons 16-79 years old. There is also an additional sample of 700 persons 16 to 30 years, to learn more about the young. Weights that correct this overrepresentation of young people, are described in the documentation report from the survey. The net sample is approx. 2200 people and the survey have a response rate of 60.

The collection of smoke and snus data is primarily done by telephone interviews as a part of the Holiday and Travel Survey. The data collection on alcohol and drugs  is also done by telephone, and the data is a part of the Survey on drugs and tobacco.

The data is collected by computer-assisted interviews. There are several procedures for electronically controlling the registration of answer in the questionnaire. In some cases the interviewer gets a “warning´´ when recording an answer, in other cases only values within certain pre-specified limits are accepted. In addition, there are checks that ensure that only valid codes for the answer categories are accepted.

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Statistics Norway has collected data on smoking habits in Norway since 1973, and on habits of snuff use since 2008.

From 2014, Statistics Norway has decided to estimate weights to adjust for possible biases introduced by non-response. Using weights will affect the numbers somewhat, but the trend we have seen over many years will remain unchanged, even with weighted figures. The tabel shows weighted and unweighted numbers for 2012 and 2013.

From 1973 to 2008, three-year moving averages were estimated. A moving average is calculated as the average of results from three consecutive years, and this represents the middle of the three years. From 2009, Statistics Norway has decided to use the actual figures for each year.

Measurement errors are errors that occur during data collection and are caused by the survey instrument: the form, questionnaire or measuring device used for data collection may lead to the recording of wrong values. The respondent may also consciously or unconsciously, give erroneous data or interviewers may influence the answers given by respondents.

Processing errors are errors introduced during data processing in Statistics Norway, such as coding, data entry, data editing, imputation etc. Efforts have been made to minimise both measurement and processing errors by developing a control system in the questionnaire.

Non response errors are errors by unit non-response, i.e. that the individual has failed to respond, or item non response, i.e. that the respondent has failed to respond to some but not all the questions in the survey.

The unit non-response in this survey is between 35 and 45 per cent. For more information on biases caused by non-response, please see the publications for each Holiday and Travel survey.

Sampling errors arise from the fact that the estimates are based on a sample and not a census of the entire population. The sampling error is measured by the standard error which estimates the expected deviation between the survey estimate and the estimate that would have been obtained if a complete enumeration had been carried out.

The exact standard error is not calculated for this survey. However, by using the figure below one can find the expected standard error. The number of observations in this survey is about 4500-5000.

Figure 1. Expected standard error for observed percentages by different sample sizes

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