Women and Smoking-Related Diseases:The Scope of the Epidemic
Smoking-related diseases have reached epidemic levelsamong women in the United States. Since 1980, neoplastic,cardiovascular, respiratory, and pediatric diseases attributableto smoking-as well as cigarette burns-havebeen responsible for the premature deaths of 3 millionAmerican women and girls. Lung cancer is now the leadingcause of cancer-related deaths among US women; itsurpassed breast cancer in 1987.1
Smoking-related diseases have reached epidemic levelsamong women in the United States. Since 1980, neoplastic,cardiovascular, respiratory, and pediatric diseases attributableto smoking-as well as cigarette burns-havebeen responsible for the premature deaths of 3 millionAmerican women and girls. Lung cancer is now the leadingcause of cancer-related deaths among US women; itsurpassed breast cancer in 1987.1
The first US Surgeon General's report on womenand smoking was issued in 1980. In the past 20 years, numerousstudies have shown that in addition to lung cancer,heart disease, and emphysema, a multitude of otherhealth problems threaten the approximately 22% of Americanwomen who smoke. The results of these studiesprompted the US Surgeon General to release a second reportdevoted to women and smoking. The Table summarizesthe major smoking-related health risks listed in thereport.
References:
REFERENCE:1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women and smoking: a reportof the Surgeon General. MMWR. 2002;51(RR-12):1-30.
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