Why Do People Smoke?

Since smoking causes 80-90% of lung cancers in both men and women, it is important to look at smoking behaviour.

Young women are more likely to start smoking and are less likely to quit[1] [2].
Young men and people with less education are more likely to smoke[2], tobacco advertising targets these groups.
Men tend to smoke to increase positive feelings while women smoke to shield negative feelings[3]. This is consistent with research that indicates that more female smokers than male smokers are depressed - an estimated 80% of women with a history of depression are addicted to tobacco.
Early predictors of smoking at 18-19 years of age include lower parental education, one parent household, drinking alcohol at ages 11-12 and a higher drive for thinness at ages 11-12[4].
Among adolescent females, eating disorder symptoms, weight control attempts and thoughts about weight are prospectively related to smoking initiation[5]. These factors were not predictive of smoking initiation in males

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