The number of young girls that smoke these days is almost equivalent to the number of boys who smoke. According to studies conducted around the world, 34.9 percent of high school girls smoke as opposed to the 34.7 percent of boys who smoke in the United States; an average girl starts smoking as young as twelve years of age. Even though women started smoking later than men in the early part of the last century, the aggressive advertising campaigns of the tobacco companies dating from 1927 on, have resulted in women being dependent on cigarettes for emotional comfort, weight control and as way to fit in socially.

Marketing To Women

In 1927, the tobacco industry started to market cigarettes to women. During this time, advertisements that featured women smoking commonly appeared in women’s magazines. This was a very obvious contrast from the days when women were just on-lookers of men who smoked, which early advertisements had portrayed. The theme of liberation through smoking occurred in 1929, when Edward Bernays, a proficient public relations person, was employed by the tobacco industry to come up with a gimmick that would entice women to smoke. Some women were even paid to smoke and parade around New York City dressed as feminists. When the press captured the moment, the women referred to their cigarettes as their “torches of freedom.”
 

But the social acceptance of women smoking would not occur until after the Second World War. This was due to the fact that during the war, women handled everything while the men were away. This was when they realized that their role in society was not limited to the four corners of their house, and that they were capable doing the same things that men could. The tobacco companies utilized this dramatic change by stepping up their efforts to directly target women. 

A Cigarette For Women

Full-blown efforts by tobacco companies did not escalate until the Women’s Liberation Movement in the early 1960′s. Philip Morris was the first tobacco company to quickly jump at this opportunity, by creating a cigarette brand for women called Virginia Slims. Six years after the brand’s introduction, girls smoking at the age of 12 increased by 110 percent. This tremendous rate was achieved because tobacco companies sponsored women’s fashion, artistic, athletic and political events. Thus, studies have shown a direct link between promotional items given at these events and the smoking initiation of young girls.
 

Covering Up Health Risks

However, the tobacco companies’ efforts were somehow dampened by women’s concerns regarding the negative health effects of smoking. The tobacco companies found a way to ingeniously deal with this newfound awareness. In the early 1970′s, tobacco companies began promoting “low tar” or “light” cigarettes to women, so that they could still enjoy smoking but not be greatly affected by the consequences that came with it. The message was effective in convincing women that low tar was the lesser of the two evils. Until recently, 60 percent of women smoked light and ultra-light cigarettes.
 

Dependence

Since the early days of women smoking, female obsession with cigarettes has not declined. More than 20 percent of adult women currently smoke, despite the active anti-smoking stance being widely accepted across the world. Nowadays teenage girls and adult women still find it extremely difficult to quit smoking. Since they have become emotionally dependent on cigarettes, and as a result are less motivated to stop smoking. This is because they can deal with unpleasant situations, stress, and emotions by smoking. Also, young girls and older women use cigarettes to suppress their appetite. In a society that judges people based upon on how they look many women see smoking as the easiest way to control their weight, instead of using exercise and a proper diet. In addition, many women may start smoking because their friends already do.
 

Help With Quitting

It is evident that tobacco advertising affects the views and attitudes of young girls with regards to smoking. Smoking has been associated with freedom, glamour, and slimness, which has unfortunately lured women to smoke despite the negative effects that it may have on their health. It is possible to completely stop smoking. Zyban is a prescription medicine that aids smokers to quit smoking. Zyban is available at online pharmacies such as Accessrx.com