Smoking cigarettes takes its toll on women of all ages.
In 1924 smokers were mostly male; less than 6% were female. Once the Tobacco Industry began to aggressively target women, beginning in the 1920's, the number of female smokers increased. While women have always smoked less than men, the once wide gap between them has decreased to about 3% in NYS. The latest report from the NYS Tobacco Control Program (June 2006) indicates that approximately 20% male New Yorkers smoke compared to about 16.5% of NY women.
Advertising promoting the association between smoking with glamour and independence has paid off for the tobacco industry but not for women smokers. To learn more click on the topics to the left, under the heading, "Women and Tobacco".
For more information, see the American Legacy Foundation Library.
