Despite what we know about the deaths, disease, and addiction caused by smoking, 22% of women in developed countries and 9% of women in developing countries, equal to 250 million women around the world, smoke cigarettes.
In general, smoking in women in Asia started later than in the west and still remains at a relatively low level (2-10%).
The habit of tobacco chewing among Indian women is widespread. In Mumbai, India, for example, 56% of women chew tobacco.
In Asia , although fewer women smoke, there is great concern that the numbers of women smokers might rise because:
- The female population in Asia is predicted to rise from the present 1.9 to 2.4 billion by 2025, so even if the prevalence remains low, the absolute numbers of smokers will increase.
- The spending power of girls and women is increasing so that cigarettes are becoming more affordable.
- The social and cultural constraints that previously prevented many women from smoking are weakening in some places.
- The tobacco companies are targeting women with well-funded, alluring marketing campaigns, linking smoking with emancipation and glamour.
- Many gender specialists, women's organisations, women's magazines, models, film and pop stars, and other female role models have failed to recognise that smoking is a women’s issue, or recognised their need to take an appropriate role.
- women-specific health education and quitting programmes are rare.
- governments in some Asian countries may be preoccupied with other health issues; where they are concerned with smoking, they focus on the higher levels of male smoking.
Preventing a rise in smoking among girls and women in Asia would prevent more premature deaths than any other single public health measure.
Reference: The Tobacco Atlas. Judith Mackay and Michael Eriksen. World Health Organization, Geneva, 2002. |
