Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death among US women, Surgeon General's report finds.
Cigarettes present a major dilemma for many young women.
Today, the smoking rate for high school girls is 30 percent, higher than the 24 percent for adult women. And the trend line for female smoking is up for all ages, signalling a rising concern about the future of women's health. Indeed, with the news that smoking has now become the leading cause of preventable death and disease among women, antitobacco forces are gearing up for a public-information campaign aimed at young women. It is designed to combat what they see as pro-smoking messages perpetuated by tobacco ads and other media. From the Surgeon General's 2001 report and compilations by the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids.