Women - The new Victims

Women are being increasingly targeted by the tobaccco industry in their effor to shore up their declining sales graphs. As smoking rates decline in the West , multinationals have sought new markets abroad, particularyu in develoing countries. Sophisticated marketing strategies are being used by the tobacco industry to lure women into smoking.

A journal on the tobacco trade, Tobacco Reporter, gave its vision of the future in 1982---"...Women smokers are likely to increase as a percentage of the total. Women are adopting more dominant roles in the society. They have increased spending power and they live longer than men. And as a recent official report showed, they seem to be less influenced by the anti-smoking campaigns than their male counterparts."

"All in all, that makes women a prime target as far as any alert marketing man is concerned. So, despite previous hesistancy, might we now expect to see a more defined attack on the important market segment represented by female smokers ?"

Women tobacco users suffer equally as men from tobacco related diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive lung disease. In India where betel quid chewing is widespread among women, oral cancer is more common among women than breast cancer. In addition women also suffer from general respiratory problems. Female smokers are more susceptible to osteoporosis or "brittle bones"

Smoking during pregnancy significantly increases the chances of

• The infant dying of sudden infant death syndrome

• Spontaneous abortions

• delivering a pre-mature baby

• delivering a low birth-weight baby

• impairing the child's long term growth and intellectual development

   10 Good Reasons to Quit Smoking

1. You'll breathe easier.

2. Your heart will thank you

3. You'll lower your risk of cancer

4. You'll live longer and healthier

5. Your menstrual cycle may be easier

6. You'll have a healthier pregnancy

7. You'll protect your family from second-hand Smoke

8. You'll look better

9. You can quit without gaining weight

10. You can do it!

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