Women Smokers

20 Jul 2005

Question No:  118  

Question

Name of the Person: Mdm Cynthia Phua, MP for Aljunied GRC

To ask the Minister for Health what are the main reasons why our women are taking up cigarette smoking.

Reply

Reply From MOH

The vast majority of Singaporean women do not smoke. Our smoking rate in women aged 18 to 69 years is 3.5%. This is among the lowest in the world. The Australian, US and UK rates are 18%, 21% and 26% respectively. Within Asia, the rates in South Korea, Taiwan and Japan are 5.5%, 5.8% and 11.5% respectively. 

But the trend among the young females is slightly disturbing. The 2004 National Health Survey showed that the proportion of young women smokers aged 18 to 29 years increased from 5.2% in 1998 to 6.6% in 2004. In this group, smoking among Malays was 17.0%, compared to 5.1% among Chinese and 2.4% among Indian young women. 

Why do young ladies smoke? Overseas studies attribute it to the aggressive advertising by tobacco companies where cigarettes are promoted to women using images of vitality, slimness, modernity, emancipation, sophistication and sexual allure. We see similar images being promoted in films and television shows here. In a local survey carried out by the Health Promotion Board, young women explained that they smoked because of peer pressure, to relieve stress, control their weight and improve their social image. 

The social and cultural constraints which previously discouraged Asian women from smoking are weakening as traditions give way to westernization. Smoking among women is thus a complex issue of identity and lifestyle. Recognising this, my Ministry and the Health Promotion Board will target our programmes more towards younger women. We have embarked on a year-long young women smoking control programme using a multi-media and multi-pronged approach. This includes advertising, public relations, lifestyle marketing through events and partnerships, and the provision of quit smoking services.