Women and tobacco

Explores the many special issues that surround the impact of tobacco use on the health and well-being of women. Noting that most tobacco control programmes fail to address the distinct needs of women, the book concentrates on the identification of gender-specific factors that help explain why girls and women smoke and how tobacco damages their health. The book, which uses data from a wide range of sources, makes a special effort to cover all dimensions of the problem, ranging from conditions in developing countries that deter female smoking to the reasons why women may find it more difficult to quit than men. The impact of the tobacco industry's efforts to recruit female smokers is also considered. The report gives detailed country-specific statistics revealing changing trends in female tobacco use and related morbidity and mortality. Data linking female smoking to a greatly increased risk of eight forms of cancer and six other major diseases soundly refute the myth that women are somehow immune to the adverse effects of tobacco. Additional effects on reproductive health, on physical appearance, and on the health of children are also demonstrated.