Women and Smoking - Facts and Statistics
In fact the number of women smokers was less in 20th century. But, the women smokers more in the 21st century, especially since last 5 years. According to 2005 smoking statistics, there are 20.3 million women smokers i.e. more than 18% of American women are smokers. The gap between the rates of men and women smokers is slowly coming down. Along with the smoking habit, the women also catch up smoking related diseases.
The following are some must-to-be know facts about the smoking habit in women.
- For 90% of lung cancer deaths in American women, smoking is the direct cause. In 1987, the number of deaths due to lung cancer is more than the deaths due to breast cancer.
- The current women smokers of 35 years or more age are 12 times at more risk of premature death due to lung cancer. An estimated 70,880 women died with lung and bronchus cancer in 2007.
- For 80% of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) deaths in women, smoking is the direct cause. In fact, women are outnumbering men in terms of death due to COPD.
Women smokers aged 35 years and more are at 10.5 times more risk of dying from emphysema or chronic than non-smokers. - The average number of American women who die due to smoking every year is 178,408.
Smoking also puts women at risk of dangerous diseases like cancers of oral cavity, larynx (voice box), pancreas, kidney, esophagus, bladder and uterine cervix. - Women smokers are at double risk of developing coronary heart disease than non-smokers.
Cigarette smoking also increases the risk of loss of bone density, hip fracture, skin wrinkling and loss of beauty. - Smoking during pregnancy leads to several pregnancy complications, like premature death, still birth, infant death and low-birth-weight babies.