Need to tackle smoking epidemic among women in Ireland

Minister Alex White T.D. launches Irish Cancer Society report showing action is needed to help women quit

Thursday, January 10th, 2013: With almost one in three Irish women smoking, and one in two younger and more disadvantaged women addicted to tobacco, the Irish Cancer Society today called for action to tackle what the Society is calling a smoking epidemic among Irish women.

Speaking at the launch of the Society’s Report on the Crisis of Women and Smoking in Ireland, Ms. Kathleen O’Meara, Head of Advocacy and Communications, said, “We have a major concern about the high rates of smoking among Irish women, particularly because lung cancer has now overtaken breast cancer as the main cause of cancer death among women in Ireland. We are also very concerned about the fact that more disadvantaged women are smoking and that the incidence of lung cancer in this social group is almost twice as high as that among better off women.”

The Report, being launched today, publishes the findings of a major Conference organised by the Irish Cancer Society in collaboration with the National Women’s Council of Ireland in July 2012. It features research on the reasons why more women smoke, and how the tobacco industry is targeting women with specific marketing tactics designed to make cigarettes appear attractive and less dangerous than they are.

 “This Report includes the findings of research into why women smoke and why more poor women smoke and stay smoking. We know that more than two thirds of smokers want to quit but this report shows that there are social and psychological reasons which make it hard for women to quit. Many women are aware of the health risks of smoking but see smoking as a way to cope with the stress and pressures of life. Smoking is an important part of life in the community they live in and gives women a very important sense of belonging to a group and the support that goes with it.  If we are to support these women to quit smoking, which could save their lives, we need to recognise this and find ways to have communities be supportive places for women to quit smoking,” Ms. O’Meara said.

Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland said: “This Conference Report makes it clear that the reasons for women to start and continue smoking are linked to their gender and gender inequalities in our society. We need a national strategy that takes differences between women and men in relation to smoking into account. The strategy should address crucial issues such as standards for cessation services, the introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products and the development of community based smoking cessation services for women, in particular for women from disadvantaged communities.”

Mr Alex White TD, Minister of State for Primary Care, launched the report which highlights findings from a conference on Women and Smoking organised by the Irish Cancer Society and the National Women’s Council of Ireland to draw attention to the problem.

The conference brought together health professionals, women’s organisations, and policymakers to see how best to tackle the crisis of female smoking in Ireland. Speakers at the conference emphasised the link between poverty, inequality and smoking. Levels of smoking are highest in the poorest communities and are linked to social and economic disadvantages, ill health, and poor life expectancy.

The "Women and Smoking - Time to Face the Crisis" report can be accessed online here (PDF, 1.5MB).

The National Smokers' Quitline1850 201 203 is a partnership between the Health Service Executive and the Irish Cancer Society. Smokers are encouraged to call for information, advice, support and a quit booklet. You can also visit the Smoking information pages on www.cancer.ie/reduce-your-risk/smoking or www.quit.ie