The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective:

To describe how woman-specific and gender-sensitive actions can be integrated into tobacco control activities in countries around the world.

Method:

The British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (BCCEWH) and the International Network of Women Against Tobacco (INWAT) have partnered to write a report about the current tobacco epidemic among women and girls across the world. Elements of comprehensive tobacco policies have been described and analyzed for countries at different stages of the worldwide tobacco epidemic. Gender-based and diversity analysis (GBA) strategies are applied to highlight areas where tobacco policies and programs have differential effects (both intended and unintended) for women and men. Effective gendered approaches in advancing tobacco control for women and girls are identified.

Results: There are numerous issues involved in tailoring tobacco control to focus effectively on women and girls in countries with different cultural, epidemiological and structural issues. In all cases, tobacco control initiatives must take into account the status of women in the country and promote gender equity along with tobacco prevention and reduction. Drawing on evidence that subpopulations of smokers such as low SES women and pregnant smokers experience differential impacts of tobacco control policies, applications and discussion of these findings will focus on implications for countries at earlier stages of the tobacco epidemic, where current use is still high among the general population of women or is set to rise. Examples will be drawn from tax and price, sales to minors and workplace and environmental tobacco smoke policy areas.