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Campaign launched to encourage U.S. women to quit smoking

Published: 2010-07-04    Views:125 reads

 

LOS ANGELES, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) said on Saturday that women in the nation should take advantage of the Independence Day on July 4 to declare their independence from tobacco.

The NCI said a Web site has been set up to help women quit smoking on July 4.

The institute encouraged American women to take a "Smokefree Pledge" to kick the habit.

The health risks associated with smoking can be even greater for women than men, the NCI noted, adding that women face a bigger risk for smoking-related diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and lung cancer.

Moreover, smoking can compromise a woman's reproductive health, as well as the welfare of children for whom women are often the primary caregiver, the institute said.

Women are more aware than ever of the dangers of cigarettes, and three out of four female smokers say they would like to quit, according to the NCI.

Still, about one in five American women smokes, despite the fact that more than half of these women have attempted to quit in the past year, said the NCI.

Some of the impediments to quitting may be specific to women, the NCI noted. For example, while nicotine addiction is similar for both genders, women are frequently more drawn to cigarettes by other factors such as smell, taste, hand-to-mouth sensation, weight-control aspirations, and mood control.

Emotional issues -- such as an upsetting event -- also play a greater role in luring women back to the habit, the institute said.

Also, women are often less inclined to quit than men, and less confident that they can do so. Statistics indicate that women are more likely than men to resume smoking after attempting to quit, according to the institute.

To help address these concerns, the NCI said it has created an online community titled "Smokefree Women" (http://women.smokefree. gov).

The site provides a step-by-step outline for quitting smoking and links to information on free national phone counseling and local services available in communities across the country, the institute said.