Let's Face It
Not-so-fun facts:
The company Philip Morris says smoking is a woman thing - it is, and here's how much:
- Smoking is the leading cause of female death in the U.S. - lung cancer kills even more women than breast cancer.
- Smoking increases our risk of cancer of the bladder, pancreas, kidneys, larynx and esophagus and may heighten their risk of liver and colorectal cancer.
- Smoking may cause bad cramps and, when you're ready to start a family, you may have a problem getting pregnant.
- Women's skin is more affected by smoking than men, and wrinkling increases with the duration and amount of smoking.
How "Big Tobacco" tries to get us:
- The tobacco industry has been marketing to girls and women since the 1920s, but recently they have promoted special brands with feminine names such as Virginia Slims, Silva Thins, and Eve. Unfortunately it worked - product sales increased, and smoking among teen girls increased.
- Using the terms "slims" or "thins" in cigarette names perpetuates the myth that smoking will help girls lose weight. In one study, girls who reported dieting more than once a week are nearly four times more likely to become smokers than the girls who do not diet.
- The tobacco industry also tries to attract girls to smoke by using messages and images that they think we'll relate to, like: "It's a woman thing," "Find your voice," and "See yourself as a king are examples.
- The tobacco industry says that "light" and "low tar or nicotine" cigarettes are a softer or safer alternative. Actually, they're not. They try to appeal to our health concerns and femininity. And it works; 63 % of women and girls who smoke buy these products compared to 46 % of male smokers.
