Global Health > News > 2009-2011 > Most smokers are men

26 August 2011

Most smokers are men

Tobacco use is one of the main risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cancer, lung diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Despite this, it is common throughout the world.  

In most of the world, being born male is the greatest predictor for tobacco use, with overall prevalence about four times higher among men than women globally (48% versus 12%). Recent findings of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, however, show that young girls are smoking almost as much as young boys and that girls and boys are using non-cigarette tobacco products such as spit tobacco, bidis, and water pipes at similar rates. Nearly 24% of all young smokers started by the age of ten, when they are far too young to understand the risks of tobacco use and addiction or to resist social expectations .

Source : WHO "Gender and Tobacco"

Read more about tobacco and NCDs on the website of WHO