The world over the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that there are a total of 250 million daily women smokers. Statistical information show that 22 percent of these women are in economically advanced countries such as japan, United States and the UK. Nine percent or over 22 million of these women smokers are found in less economically advanced developing societies in Africa, Asia and South America. Women in south Asia in particular are known to chew tobacco apart from smoking tobacco.
Notably in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom smoking amongst females is declining even through in some parts of the world there have been no signs of decline. In Africa, Asia and several southern, central and eastern European countries tobacco cigarette smoking is still on the raise. Why smoking is raising in these societies is a combination of a direct marketing effort by big tobacco targeting women and a general lack of access to tobacco information. the tobacco industry in many of its brutal and marketing strategies promotes tobacco cigarettes to women employing serious yet misleading seductive images of vitality, slimness, modernity, emancipation, sophistication and sexual allure.
The presentation of cigarette smoking as a sign of individual emancipation appears effective to women in developing societies who appear to be in quest of a personal independence and liberty. This is approach amongst the tobacco companies is one key reason why smoking prevalence amongst women is increasing even in countries like China with a total of 350 million smokers. Data from China shows that over 12 million women smoke. More concerning is that up to 77 percent of people in china in general including women are completely unaware of the dangers of smoking. Tobacco has been associated with infertility when pregnant mothers smoke. There are yet other dangers such as cervical cancer and lung cancer.
The prevalence of tobacco use amongst women is set to increase amongst women worldwide as more women from developing countries take up the addiction. This is essentially driven by the fact that tobacco companies are also now producing a range of brands aimed at women. These are ‚women only‚ brands creating a form of ‚feminized‚ cigarettes which are long, extra slim, low-tar, light-colored or menthol. A 1976 report by the British American Tobacco company forms the backbone of the quest to target women. It notes that women are motivated to smoke and have a harder time to quit smoking compared to men.
Smoking prevalence amongst girls is also worrying. Forty percent of cigarettes smokers in schools in Kenya are girls according to a survey done by Tobacco Control Board. These statistics are the highest ever recorded in Kenya. It is apparent that these girls will grow and mature into young women having taken up this habit which is extremely harmful. In fact the effects of smoking for women are much worse than for women. Apart from causing infertility in women mentioned above, tobacco will also result in frequent abortions, still births and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). But with the rise of e liquid sale, quitting smoking has become easier for some people. As a matter of fact, vape is considered as a good and safe alternative for traditional cigar.