A Report of the Surgeon General summarizes patterns of tobacco use among women, factors associated with starting and continuing to smoke, the health consequences of smoking, tobacco marketing targeted at women, and cessation and prevention interventions.
"Smoking is a critical women's health issue that must be addressed on all fronts," HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. "We must begin this battle in schools before girls even begin to smoke, and we must share with teenage 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 clear: smoking significantly reduces life expectancy and hampers quality of life," said Secretary Thompson.
Developed by HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to document the impact of smoking on women's health in the United States, the report also provides analyses of the global impact of smoking on women.
Dr. Koplan added, "We have firm evidence of a direct association between tobacco marketing and smoking prevalence. Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission reported that cigarette companies spent $8.24 billion on advertising and promotions in 1999 in the United States, a 22.3 percent increase from the $6.73 billion spent in 1998. Fortunately, we have proven science-based evidence that counter-marketing strategies can be a powerful tool to change social norms. The CDC is committed to working globally to create a broad framework to curb the global epidemic of tobacco-related disease, particularly as it relates to women and young people."
The report outlines key solutions for preventing and reducing smoking among women.
Concerted efforts are needed from women's and girls' organizations, women's magazines, public health policymakers, medical groups, and volunteer organizations to call public attention to lung cancer and other smoking-related diseases among women, and to call for policies and programs that deglamorize and discourage tobacco use. This effort should draw from the success of advocacy campaigns to reduce breast cancer.
