Nevada leading U.S. in percentage of women smokers

Heather Rawlyk

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2003 | 10:58 a.m.

Nevada has the greatest percentage of female smokers in the nation, according to a report by the National Women's Law Center and the Center for Women's Health at Oregon Health & Science University.

A state-by-state report card released Sept. 30 highlights the need for more action by the states, especially Nevada, which received the lowest grade, an F, and ranked last among the 50 states.

The report card found that Nevada ranks as the lowest of the many states that are failing to meet the nation's goals for reducing smoking among women and girls. In addition to having the highest percentage of adult female smokers at 28.5 percent, Nevada also ranks last in adult smokers' cessation attempts and rated highest in lung cancer death among women. Smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer, the leading cancer killer of women, according to the report.

"It really doesn't surprise me. Historically Nevada has had the highest adult smoking rates in the nation," said Nicole Bungum, tobacco control coordinator at Clark County Health District. "It is in itself shocking when you consider 50 years ago a women dying from lung cancer was rare, and now it's the number one cancer killer of women."

The report said that second-hand smoke exposure is also a serious health risk to women, and the percentages of work policies that prohibit smoking do not meet national goals. Nevada ranked last in the percentage of women reporting a smoking ban at their workplace, at 56 percent.

Bungum said the prohibition of smoking in public buildings would decrease second-hand smoke significantly.

"Across the nation is it shown that places that have clean indoor air have decreased percentages of second hand smoke," she said. "That's one of the best ways to protect people, especially non-smokers."

The 2003 Legislature considered but failed to pass a bill that would have banned smoking in all Nevada restaurant, arcade and grocery store areas.

The report also blamed the federal government, which has not adopted strong enough policies to prevent and reduce smoking among women. Women are particularly targeted by tobacco industry marketing, according to the report. It was also reported that women are more likely to smoke in attempts to control weight and negative moods.

"The report kind of brings some other issues about targeting women," Bungum said. "Especially women of child-bearing age who are smoking during pregnancy create a big problem for them and their unborn child. "You know we need to continue to educate people," she said. "We need to start focusing messages particularly to women so they can understand the risks associated to this and stay with that message."