The creation of a tobacco advertising-free Western Pacific by the year 2000 is one of them. He emphasised that the World Health Organization would redouble efforts to implement the regional Plan of Action on Tobacco or Health, including the implementation of comprehensive legislation and education on the harmful effects of tobacco use. In many countries, tobacco consumption is increasing among women and this issue is high on the agenda of the Beijing Conference. Studies in different countries have shown that smoking among women presents a special problem for public health. Not only do women who smoke suffer from all the negative health consequences that male smokers endure, but they also experience others that are gender specific.
Indications are that smoking is increasing among girls in both developed and developing countries.