Women and smoking: An update for the 1990s

Cigarette smoking is associated with many health hazards, ranging from lung cancer to low infant birth weight. In the United States in 1994, 23.1% of all women and 14.6% of pregnant women smoked. Few physicians ask their patients about smoking, although minimal effort by physicians could help many smokers to quit. This article summarizes the current data on smoking prevalence, reviews quitting techniques, covers topics of particular interest to physicians caring for women, and suggests ways in which physicians may become more active in preventing smoking among teens.