Women more likely to die of lung cancer

Irish women are more likely to die of lung cancer than breast cancer as the tobacco industry aggressively targets female customers.

With more than 1m Irish men already hooked on cigarettes, tobacco manufacturers are courting lucrative new customers, especially young women, according to the Irish Cancer Society, which hosted a conference in Dublin yesterday in association with the National Women’s Council of Ireland to discuss the matter.

Almost one in three women in Ireland smoke, Kathleen O’Meara, head of advocacy with the ICS, told the conference. “Superslim cigarettes have been the key design innovation of the last five years, with particular appeal to the female smoker,” she said.