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Women smokers on the rise?

Are more and more women getting hooked to cigarettes? SYEDA FARIDA finds out

GOT A LIGHT? Lots of women are smoking these days irrespective of the dangers involved

Twenty-six-year-old Swetha works for a BPO. Find her in the pubs on weekend, nurturing a drink in one hand, a cigarette in another. "I like to smoke when I drink. And I smoke on a weekend though," she says. Madhavi, assistant manager with a leading bank, also confesses to be a `smoke with drink' person. "I smoke 3-4 cigarettes in a week. Two years ago, it used to be 3-4 packs," she says. And most feel the group is on the rise. "I find a lot of women smoking these days," observes Mani, a software engineer. While others feel it is just the coming out of the closet phenomenon.

"There is not much of a taboo today. I find a lot of women smoking. I find them having a smoke with a coffee. The latter is only an excuse. The first impression is cool. She has the guts to smoke as she would ride a bike. But then the phenomenon is more with youngsters, a wannabe and attitude thing," says Umakanth, a consultant with food and packing industry.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that seven per cent of women in developing countries smoke (compared with 48 per cent of men). And Asia seems to be the virgin market for tobacco manufacturers, who are pushing in `low tar' and milder though equally harmful cigarettes and the familiar independence, weight control and managing stress themes.

But why do women smoke really? Stress reliever, craving, the `breakfast, coffee and smoke' dependency, weight control and social acceptance are common reasons cited by women in town.

"Smoking is more of a done thing and has nothing to do with stress in women. Started for a lark, the women then use it to handle stress. There are more productive ways to deal with stress such as arriving at a better work-home balance or dealing with a relationship issue," says Parveez Chinoy, consulting psychologist.

While the `Milds' or `Navy cuts' might send the `with it' signals, nicotine impacts women more drastically. Interestingly, women are capable of quitting with as much ease as they get hooked on to it. "I have seen a lot of friends who quit the day they get pregnant so that they do not harm the foetus. Also they tend not to smoke if there is a child in the group," says Usha, a marketing manager with the hospitality industry.

As for snubbing that butt, there is hope, with the professional lot taking the lead. "I have quit smoking. I listen to music to de-stress and I chew gum when I feel the urge to smoke. I don't want to reek of cigarettes when I make my sales call," says Madhavi. Some attitude that!

Smoking hazards

* Much like men, women smokers have a high risk of chronic bronchitis as also of cancers of the cervix, larynx and the lung. The latter is more potent than breast cancer.

* Smoking reduces fertility, induces miscarriages and stillbirth and results in low birth weights. Cases of early menopause, reduced oestrogen levels and thereby menstrual disorders are prevalent in smokers.

* Smoking while on the pill is lethal making the women 10-20 times exposed to heart disease and stroke.

* Early wrinkles and skin problems strike on the beauty front.

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