In the youngest age groups this is already the case in developed countries, where smoking habits among women and girls are becoming similar to those among boys and men. By exploiting ideas of liberation, power and other key values for women, the tobacco industry is accelerating this process. The same marketing techniques that have been used to promote smoking among women in developed countries are now being applied to women and girls in developing countries, including in central and eastern Europe. The tragic tobacco history among women that started in the US in the late 1920s is now repeating itself in country after country. The health toll among women as shown in statistics has lagged behind that associated with smoking among men, reflecting the development of smoking trends between the genders.
Tobacco use is one of the greatest burdens to the health and well-being of women around the world.
At present it kills over half a million women each year, but this is expected to double by 2020. The predicted rise in cancer rates among women has been born out by recent figures. When women smoke during pregnancy, there are also serious risks to the unborn baby. And yet in many countries there is still a perception that smoking is mainly a male problem. Reverse the trend Haglund argues that the distinctive features of smoking among women demand special attention.