The Top 5 Countries where More Girls Smoke than Boys

  Country Percentage of More Girls Smoking
1 Santiago, Chile 11.9%
2 Sweden 8.0%
3 Slovenia 7.8%
4 Bulgaria 7.2%
5 Uruguay 6.5%
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  1. As with boys, most female smokers initiate the habit before reaching adulthood. Girls begin smoking during their youth in response to peer pressure, misconceptions that smoking is cool or enhances popularity, easy access to tobacco products, and tobacco marketing. (a.)
  2. Some girls initiate smoking or continue to smoke due to the belief that smoking will assist with weight loss. This is especially common in cultures where women are subjected to unrealistic body-image goals. The tobacco industry has promoted the adoption of this belief, and a 1982 R.J. Reynolds document stated that “A brand which contains a natural appetite suppressant (in tobacco or tipping) will be perceived as controlling weight.” (a.)
  3. Among today’s adults, more men consistently smoke than women. In fact, there are at least 49 countries in which ten times more men than women smoke. The same is not the case for today’s teenagers. IN MOST OF THE WORLD, THE DIFFERENCE IN SMOKING RATES BETWEEN GIRLS AND BOYS IS SMALL. In fact, more girls smoke than boys in at least 25 countries. (a.)
  4. The similarity of today’s boys’ and girls’ smoking rates suggests that, in the future, today’s teenage girls may be more likely to smoke than today’s adult women. If this pattern continues in the future, the consequences will be deadly. (a.)
  5. The common Reasons Young Women Start Smoking are: Association with others (parents and friends) who smoke, concern with weight, body image, or social acceptance, interest in rebelling or stating individuality, reaction to positive images of smoking in magazines, movies, and youth culture, influence from cigarette marketing campaigns targeting women. (a.)
Top 5 facts sources:
  1. Eriksen M, Mackay J, Ross H. The Tobacco Atlas. Fourth Ed. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; New York, NY: World Lung Foundation; 2012.Visit the source
Tags: Tobacco & Smoking Statistics, Europe, South America

Sources:   Eriksen M, Mackay J, Ross H. The Tobacco Atlas. Fourth Ed. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; New York, NY: World Lung Foundation; 2012.Visit the source

List Notes: Data is the percentage by which more girls between the ages of 13 to 15 smoke cigarettes than boys of the same age. Data is for the year 2010 or latest available.
Countries where More Girls Smoke than Boys

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