In middle age, a few more men than women give up and, in the elderly, it is about equal. Robert West, professor of psychology at St George's Hospital in London, believes it is misleading to suggest that there is a significant difference between the sexes when it comes to giving up. You can always dream up something hormonal that seems plausible. What really matters is the degree of dependence. Women tend to be lighter smokers, less dependent than men and less likely to smoke first thing in the morning.
Pregnancy also provides a motive to stop.
Surveys show that 70 per cent of smokers want to give up. There are new products, new guidelines and more information about success rates. There is no better time than now. You can stop. This page, and other ASH web pages, may be freely copied and reproduced in print or on other web pages.