The Trend of Smoking among Women - Essay Example

Outline I. Introduction The tobacco and tobacco products pose serious risk among women About 147, 050 women deaths from cigarette smoking in the United States (Wesley & Ingrid 26) II. Thesis To reflect the increase in females smoking III. Body The changing habits within the society regarding of smoking The trend in smoking among women Role of the modern society in the smoking issue The effects of smoking for the women IV. Conclusion In recent years, more females are engaging in smoking as a habit. The call for concerned bodies and social groups to act accordingly The increase in female smoking Introduction The use of tobacco and tobacco products continues to pose as a serious risk that can result in death and disease among women. Smoking from the annual statistics shows that about 147, 050 women die of cigarette smoking in the United States (Wesley & Ingrid 26). The dangers of the practice and habit of smoking remain a challenge that the society struggles to evaluate and address accordingly. However, the changing nature of the society is elemental in resulting in the current trends and changes in the habits of women. The effects of smoking are alarming, causing the worry in the burden entailed when women are smoking in such vast numbers. Notably, although evidence from factual findings indicates that fewer women than men smoke tobacco, the percentage difference between the two genders is on the decrease (Wesley & Ingrid 34). This decrease in the gap in effect reflects the established increase in female smoking within the society; hence, smoking among the females is on the increase. Thesis The changing habits within the society regarding the subject of smoking are to blame for the increase in smoking rates. The statistics reflect that the rate of deaths from smoking related effects among the females is catching up to the rate of the deaths among the males (Women and Smoking 28). The course for this comparison is to identify the evidence for the subject of contention, particularly to reflect the increase in females smoking. The first generation of females smoking publicly as a norm in the society began in the 1950s. In these early beginnings, the women that smoked were evidently three times more likely to suffer from related effects such as cancer among other diseases. However, the report from research findings established in the period between the years 2000 to 2001 indicate that women who smoke are about 25 times more likely to suffer from related consequences of smoking (Wesley & Ingrid 42). This pattern is a repetition of the trends that occurred among the males in the 1980s (Wesley & Ingrid 42). Thus, these trends and statistical backing is evidence of the trends of increasing habits of smoking and the consequential impact that smoking has on the females. The trend in smoking among women continues to rise accordingly despite the predominant depiction that women only smoke cigarette brands that contain lower tar and nicotine. Notably, this depiction that the cigarette brands bearing the mark of being light and mild is a core factor contributing to the evident rise of the practice of smoking among women (Oaks 23). The advent of the light and mild cigarette brands hoped to increase the course for smoking and the impact among the females (Women and Smoking 32). However, the contrary was the course as large population of the females came out from their cocoons and fully indulged in the habit, causing the addiction on the substance to gain root among the female gender accordingly. The women indulged irrespective of the consequences they would face, an element of observation that explains the current trends where even young women are engaging in the practice at remarkably young ages. With respect to the varied races and demographic characteristics, the trends of smoking among the young women according to the NHIS report is that young women prevalence of smoking in total is at 25.1% (Owing 21). Additionally, the prevalence of smoking among the black women is at 9.6%, a notably lower count compared to the women of Hispanic origin whose prevalence is at 12.0% (Owing 21). The trend among the white women is highest, sanding at 31.6%. This pattern is evidence of the key ethnic groups in the United States, reflecting on their involvement in the dangerous habit of tobacco consumption through smoking. The trends among the women smoking are comparatively high as they are near catching up to those of the men. For instance, the statistics do indicate from evidence that the overall prevalence for young women at 25.1% is almost rivaling that of the young males, which stands at 31.5% (Owing 24). Such patterns indicate the significant rise in the cases of tobacco smoking among the females since the advent of the technological and free society. The cigarette smoking in women begins at the adolescent ages, which is another significant aspect of the issue that is contributing to the increasing trend. In the recent years, the practice of smoking has been on the rise due to the alarming young age at which the females begin smoking (Oaks 43). Most adolescent are consuming tobacco at ages below 18 years, which makes them easily become addicts to the substance (Oaks 64). Consequently, the adolescent girls develop addiction, which gets essentially difficult to withdraw as they age into adulthood. Thus, this development is a key element for understanding the current increasing trend in the smoking habits among the women. Further, another component among the women leading to the increased smoking habits among the women is the risky sexual practices developing in the modern society. Samples of convenient generalizability from past research findings indicate that women involved in practices such as lesbianism and bisexual activities are more likely to engage in the practice of smoking (Owing 32). Since these aspects are evidently on the rise, then the proportion is direct, degenerating to the evident increase in number of women smoking tobacco. This strong prevalence of smoking in effect contributes to the general population adopting the behavior accordingly, as peer influence takes center stage in the course. Thus, observing from such developments, the increase in female smoking is evident and real, which causes concern regarding the consequences entailed in smoking, particularly for the females. The consequent effects of smoking in women are true and proven. Despite the current campaigns established from given bodies concerned with substance abuse to facilitate the emancipation for women not to smoke, many females still, engage in the practice. The effects of smoking for the women reflect accordingly through established and known effects such as cancer, lung and heart disease (Chollat-Traquet 67). Additionally, smoking in women results decreased bone density, which makes women fragile and prone to getting bone and joint injuries. Smoking also causes rheumatoid arthritis, cataracts gum disease, ulcers, and menstrual problems (Sloan 35). These are key effects of smoking, which are leading in contributing to the vast numbers of women dying annually from smoking related complications. Another notable effect is depression, as women suffer easily from depression. Smoking increases the evident occurrence of depression among the women (Sloan 37). Further, smoking also causes difficulties of pregnancy, as women that smoke may have hardship conceiving. Women that smoke have higher chances of suffering miscarriages when expectant. Additionally, smoking increases chances of bearing a baby with physical and mental deformities, as the effects of prolonged smoking takes toll on the unborn baby. Thus, such effects of smoking should serve as a warning to the females to overturn this worrying trend of smoking among the females. Conclusion Observing the established effects of smoking on the individual health of the females involved, developing the means and procedures of addressing this concern is essential. The trends reflect accordingly that in recent years, more females are engaging in smoking as a habit. Consequently, the dynamics are getting difficult since the manner in which to approach the issue is essentially fragile. The effects of smoking are diverse and the vast number of women dying annually, which is about 140,000 plus, the time to take stern action towards the issue is now. The current strategies are evidently not making the expected input in the emancipation of the females regarding the impact of smoking (Women and Smoking 64). Thus, the concerned bodies and social groups ought to adequately engage in the matter and help curb this evident increase in females smoking. Works cited Chollat-Traquet, Claire. Women and Tobacco. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2012. Print. Oaks, Laury. Smoking and Pregnancy: The Politics of Fetal Protection. New Brunswick, NJ [u.a.: Rutgers Univ. Press, 2010 . Print. Owing, J H. Trends in Smoking and Health Research. New York: Nova Biomedical Books, 2005. Print. Sloan, Frank A. The Price of Smoking. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2004. Internet resource. Wesley, Merideth K, and Ingrid A. Sternbach. Smoking and Women's Health. New York: Nova Science, 2008. Print. Women and Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, 2011. Print. Read More