WHO research reports increase in female smoking rates worldwide

The New Scientist today reports World Health Organisation (WHO) research claiming that as women in poorer countries become more liberated – the female smoking rates in those countries increase. Worldwide, men are generally five times as likely to smoke as women but as women become more empowered – their smoking rates are catching up or exceeding men’s, regardless of the country’s wealth.

Allen Carr’s Easyway comments

There is no doubt that the tobacco industry is targeting women in developing countries where smoking rates amongst men are already high. Along with children, women are seen as a new area rife for exploitation by tobacco company advertising and marketing campaigns unbridled by anti-tobacco advertising legislation. It works. In some market the age at which children are starting smoking has reduced from 15 years old to 8 years old. There are few, if any (and little appetite for), stop smoking campaigns to encourage smokers to quit smoking.Although Allen Carr’s Easyway To Quit Smoking book and clinics work equally effectively for men and women, Allen Carr’s Easyway For Women To Quit Smoking has been a great hit with female smokers wanting something slanted specifically toward them (although strangely some boyfriends have picked up the book and read it and successfully quitted smoking also).Our stop smoking clinic network is rapidly spreading throughout the world – this year we have clinics opening in many countries including Brazil, Ukraine, & Romania.