Smoking is a critical women's health issue that must be addressed on all fronts. We must begin this battle in schools before girls even begin to smoke, and we must share with teen-age girls that smoking is not only harmful, but it is not glamorous. Society must not glorify smoking. In addition, we must provide information to women and minority groups detailing the harmful affects of smoking as well as the benefits of smoking cessation. The facts are inexorable.
Smoking significantly reduces life expectancy and hampers quality of life.
This is a message that must be shared. There is some good news in this study, however. The relative benefits of smoking cessation are greater when women stop smoking at younger ages, but smoking cessation is beneficial at all ages. That is the silver lining in this otherwise dark and ominous cloud of doom. If women and men- if all smokers stop smoking immediately their health will get better.