In the age bracket of 13-15 age groups, 8.3 percent of girls consume some form of tobacco, said a report prepared by the Union health ministry in India along with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its first Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS). (Note: The GATS report is likely to be released in June, 2010)

However, young girls around the globe are consuming tobacco often, says a new finding of the WHO. According to the report, “Although many more men use tobacco than women (women make up only about 20 percent of the world's smokers), there is evidence that the epidemic of tobacco use among girls is increasing in some countries and regions.”  

“More girls used tobacco than boys in some of the countries, including Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Cook Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria and Uruguay,” said the report.

The WHO has also pointed out that companies are specially targeting girls for tobacco advertising. “Tobacco use kills more than five million people every year, about 1.5 million of whom are women,” the report further added.

The report also said women are exposed to the harms of second-hand smoke. The report elaborated “Worldwide, of the approximately 430,000 adult deaths caused per year by second-hand smoke, about 64% are among women.”

The WHO calls on governments and the public to demand a ban on all forms of tobacco advertising and to take global action to advocate for women’s freedom from tobacco.

Read the findings of the WHO.