Smoking soars among girls from poorer areas
The ICS said the highest smoking rates were among younger people and in lower socio-economic groups.
Norma Cronin, the society’s health promotion manager, said the self-esteem of women from less well-off areas must be boosted to help them give up cigarettes.
Ms Cronin said: “Tobacco cannot be treated in isolation from social context and lifestyle issues.
“Building self-esteem of women from low-income backgrounds is crucial. In order to encourage smoking cessation, support is required for other areas of life, such as lifestyle issues, medical and social issues, childcare techniques and helping low-income women to break down barriers to access smoking cessation services.”
The latest statistics show about 48% of 18 to 34-year-old female smokers are from less well-off backgrounds, with only primary or some secondary school education.
At a conference in Dublin to mark World No Tobacco Day, the society highlighted that smoking among young girls had increased drastically around the globe, particularly in developing countries.
Professor Robert West of the health behaviour unit at University College London told the conference on the role of health professionals in tobacco control: “Women report more smoking for stress and weight control than men.
"In particular, lone mothers report low self-esteem as a key factor for taking up smoking and say that smoking gives them a way to take a break and have some time for themselves.
“The smoker’s environment is crucial and if there is a high level of use in the social environment and absence of alternative rewards, then smoking levels soar.”
Ms Cronin told the 160 healthcare professionals that workers could be trained in smoking cessation techniques, which would allow them offer support.
The society said the Health Services Executive in the North East has already begun offering these services in six housing estates in less well-off areas, where smoking rates are above the national average.
