The study of 9,789 women aged 18 to 25, all of whom participated in the 2011 US National Drug and Health Survey, is published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease.
According to the results, although smoking at any dose is harmful to health, “occasional” smoking (5 cigarettes a day at most) is particularly dangerous for the health of young women.
Researchers found that while women who smoke occasionally were more aware of the dangers of tobacco, they showed fewer symptoms of drug addiction nicotine and were less likely to smoke daily.
The results showed that 64.4% of female smokers in the United States were occasional smokers, 26.7% were light smokers and 10.8% were heavy smokers.
The study explains that women “are more likely to become occasional smokers than heavy smokers. “
The study researchers concluded that, “Teachers and health workers who care about young women need to recognize the prevalence of light smoking among them and screen them for tobacco use at all levels. “
The risks of occasional smoking are often underestimated. According to an article published by the British newspaper The Guardian, smoking between one and four cigarettes a day could triple the risk of dying from heart disease. A 2010 study by doctors at the University of California in the United States found that occasional smoking increases the risk of respiratory infections, lung, stomach and pancreatic cancer, and blood problems. fertility in and men and women.
