For women, smoking is a heavier habit than for men
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The results of just three large studies conducted in the USA, Canada and England showed: for the fairer sex, smoking is a more severe habit than for men.
The data from the results of all three research projects were analyzed by researchers from the Society for the Study of Women's Health in the United States. Specialists were convinced that women who quit smoking are much more severely symptomatic of withdrawal symptoms. Also, drugs of nicotine replacement therapy are worse for them. It is especially difficult in this sense for women after 50 years - to abandon the harmful habit at this age to the weaker sex is so difficult that most attempts to "tie" with cigarettes are unsuccessful. Researchers note that among the women who quit smoking, relapses happen much more often than men who have done away with a bad habit.
According to experts, it is more difficult for women to stop smoking mainly because they quickly become disillusioned with the possibility of giving up nicotine. The weight gain experienced by many former smokers after quitting tobacco. Stresses and negative emotions, before which women are more vulnerable than men - all this causes the feeling that instead of cigarettes the problem is other factors that greatly complicate life. Women stop making efforts, believing that they can not quit smoking.
In recent years, the average age of smokers has fallen dramatically. In the late 90's, the first samples of smoking in women were observed in 20-22 years. Today, girls 12-13 years old already suffer from tobacco dependence.
The likelihood of lung cancer in women smokers is higher than that of men - presumably because female hormones estrogen promote the combination of carcinogenic components of tobacco with DNA in lung cells causing their mutation.