An equal-opportunity Tragedy

Teenaged girls just aren't getting the message, reports The Toronto Star What message? That
smoking is a deadly habit. A 1991 study revealed that 25 percent of Canadian girls between the
ages of 15 and 19 were smokers, compared with 19 percent of boys in the same age group.
Even among adults, female smokers outnumber their male counterparts. "Tobacco use among
women has become an equal-opportunity tragedy, " noted Physicians for a Smoke-Free
Canada.
Why do teenage girls begin to smoke? Curiosity, peer pressure, and rebellion play a role; Not
to be overlooked, however, is the advertising industry. which portrays female smokers as
being slim. Yes, many smoke to try to prevent overeating, and they fear putting on pounds if
they stop. Tragically, these women may be more concerned about the threat of weight gain
than about the treat of cancer. Robert Coombs, an assistant professor at the University of
toronto, summarized their attitude: "Lung cancer is 20 years away. Weight gain is immediate."
The tobacco industry also targets women by linking cigarette smoking with independence. Yet,
Jean Kilbourne, former adviser to two U.S. surgeons general, wisely state: "One can only
consider cigarette smoking liberating if one considers death the ultimate freedom".