World No Tobacco Day: Women face more health issues than men due to smoking

Every packet of cigarette comes with a warning that says, “Smoking is injurious to health.” But despite all these warnings and repeated promotions from governments and NGOs around the world, people not only smoke but are addicted to it.

That is why World No Tobacco Day must be observed once a year to create awareness about the hazards that chewing tobacco and smoking it can cause.

Smoking in young girls has increased

In the last few years smoking in young girls has increased in a big way. In India, earlier women from the rural regions were known for chewing tobacco and smoking bidis. But nowadays young girls from urban areas have taken to smoking as a regular habit. This is a very dangerous development as women have more chances of getting health issues due to the use of tobacco than men because of their biological differentiation.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) has observed that there is a link between the use of tobacco and smoking with different types of cancer including cervical cancer. The research conducted by the National Family Health Survey, Global Adult Tobacco Survey, and National Sample Survey has found that the habit of smoking in India among women has increased steadily.

In 1980 it was around 2.2% among women above 15 years. However, with every decade the number has doubled. WHO has suggested that by next year around 20% of Indian women will be smokers.

Health hazards of smoking

Women face several health issues due to smoking addiction. Since nature has bestowed them with the blessing of delivering a child, their reproductive health is of prime importance. However, smoking leads to fertility issues in women and makes reproduction difficult.

Also smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk to the health of both the child and the mother. Cases of stillbirth and immature childbirth are common among women who smoke during pregnancy. Smoking can also lead to mental issues in women as their hormonal clock can get a toss due to the addiction.