Increased smoking in Indian women is leading to an alarming spurt in their developing lung cancer

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Latest studies are now showing that the nicotine marketing drive has increased the strike rate for lung cancer in Indian women, this according to a report out on May 31, 2010 - World Tobacco Day. This year again W.H.O's (World Health Organisation) theme for the year is "Gender and tobacco with an emphasis on marketing to women". This is to bring attention to the harmful results of tobacco marketing to women and girls as a considerable increase in smokers among literate women, especially young college girls and BPO workers has been observed.

An increased incidence of lung cancer in women is reported by ICMR (Indian council of Medical Research) after compilation of data from various cancer registries across the country. The incidence was greater in the North of India at one time but now is quickly spreading down South as well. Yet another fact gleaned from these statistics is that this increase was primarily due to cigarettes, as beedis and tobacco chewing lead to an increase in oral cavity cancers unlike cigarettes, which cause lung cancer. The increasing trend has been especially noticed over the past eight years by several specialists like Dr Surendra Shastri from Tata Memorial Hospital, in Parel, Mumbai.

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User Comments

10 July, 2012 | awantika | Reply

i am 25yrs old and have been smoking regularly since 5 and a half years. i smoke atleast 20 in a day. i want to quit but just cannot resist! i might get married soon and the thought haunts me. i want to know d risks involved. please dont give the answers which i read always that smoking is harmful, etc. i want to know, now what as i have already smoked enough. wil i be able to conceive? my mensuration comes for only 3 days, the fourth day i am clean. is there any exercise i can opt? i too scared to go to a doctor. help.

16 July, 2010 | Vijayalakshmi | Reply

`Genetic variants associated with smoking behavior provide insight into why there is no one-size-fits-all technique of smoking cessation; a study reported in May 2010 and published in Medscape. A new angle and I am sure warrants a lot of merit yet I am sure there is something more to it

16 July, 2010 | Kanika Jain | Reply

Quitting smoking substantially reduces the risk of developing lung cancer. However, even after many years of not smoking, the risk of lung cancer in former smokers remains higher than in people who have never smoked. Apart from that, other factors like number of years of smoking, the number of cigarettes smoked per day may also affect the risk of developing lung cancer.
Regards,
Kanika Jain
Dietitian
NutritionVista.com

10 July, 2010 | Vijayalakshmi Iyengar | Reply

Dear Claudia Tonjes Ann Kinsey
We agree that all of us, not necessarily only women must protest against the aggressive marketing of Tobacco companies world over, and the dangers that people are succumbing due to tobacco use. Maybe it can begin with a signature campaign.

10 July, 2010 | Claudia Tonjes Ann Kinsey | Reply

WE MUST STOP TOBACCO CO.,. British American Tobacco, Philip Morris continue with their big BRIBES into the UNWTO (UN tourism), Ag Ministers, to expand distribution and production. Women must stand up on this tobacco issue. The families of lung cancer victims continue to be harassed via their gangsters; internet cyber crime,false blog info, employment advancement, contributing to mental/physical health problems.

26 June, 2010 | Saumya | Reply

Aggressive nicotine marketing and easy access to tobacco products is leading to spurt in number of smokers in India. Along with peer pressure, misconceptions like smoking assist in weight loss are playing a big role in promoting this trend. Schools and colleges can become a good platform to start awareness and education programmes related to smoking.

25 June, 2010 | Sangeetha Narayana Swamy | Reply

A recent CDC survey has showed that one in 6 American women aged 18 years or older smoke, it is more popular among younger women. If the younger generation of women continue smoking then they will encounter more smoking related illness and disability as they get older. It also showed that 19% of female high school students and 6% of middle school girls smoked one cigarette at the least in the past one month. 9% of the 12th grade girls reported that they smoked one cigar in the past month and almost 29% of senior girls used some form of tobacco.

This trend among the younger generation is alarming. Schools should come up with education programs that talk about the ill effects of smoking, make children participate in activity related to creating awareness about smoking and it's health effects.

25 June, 2010 | Prachi | Reply

Women think its fashionable to deal with stress by smoking and even more so, along with alcohol in pubs. Despite all the anti smoking propoganda and education,the mistaken notion that smoking can help one loose weight persists and makes smoking even more popular.

25 June, 2010 | Richa | Reply

Spotting females smoking has become a common phenomenon in metro cities now a days. Few years back it was kind of taboo for women to smoke in public in India, but, as women are becoming economically independent , migrating from smaller cities to metro towns, working in late night shifts in BPO, staying away from parents in hostels or as paying guests, one can see shift in trend. Peer pressure and desire to try out smoking as fun (which unfortunately becomes a habit) is also contributing to rise of smoking in youth, especially girls.

25 June, 2010 | Kanika Jain | Reply

According to Tobacco Atlas published by the American Cancer Society in 2009, India stood third among the top 20 women smoking countries. Apart from tobacco industry marketing, easy access to tobacco products, low prices, peer pressure, tobacco use and approval by peers, the misperception that smoking enhances social popularity and mistaken belief that smoking assist in weight loss are also contributing to this increasing trend of smoking in females.

Regards,
Kanika Jain
Dietitian
NutritionVista

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Tags: Cancer, Cancer Management, Cancer Prevention, Dietitians, Healthy Lifestyle, Lung Cancer, Nutrition, Nutrition Counseling, Smoking, Women's Health

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