As the world marks International Women’s Day, we are steering our focus toward closing the gap among women smokers in Africa. This is a perfect opportunity to explore how smoking interventions improve women’s health.
The day is an opportunity to raise awareness of rights gaps, and organizers also use the day to celebrate progress and the achievements of individual women.
While the United Nations’ theme this year underscores how the fight for gender equality has evolved in the twenty-first century, celebrations around the world are also focused on longstanding issues, including health and wellness.
In Africa today, about 13 million women use tobacco products, including chewing tobacco and snuff. Of these, about 22,000 of them die every year from tobacco-related diseases which are preventable. Recent studies have shown an increase in tobacco use among girls in Africa, with 13% of adolescent girls currently using tobacco products.
Between 2002 and 2030, smoking-attributable deaths are projected to double in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), Africa included. Smoking rates are also much higher among those from these disadvantaged backgrounds. Combating this epidemic will require commitment from healthcare workers, policymakers, and civil society.
Smoking interventions improve women’s health
Women have unique and higher risks of artery disease and cancer. Tobacco causes similar health problems and threats for men and women. Still, women tend to have unique and higher risks of cervical cancer, breast cancer, and coronary artery disease compared to men.
Women should quit smoking, especially during pregnancy or when breastfeeding. Those who can’t, should be offered oral forms of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as inhalers or lozenges. Even though many countries in Africa have policies regarding tobacco control, very few have programs to support smokers who wish to quit.
Women in Africa who smoke or use drugs face multiple barriers to accessing harm reduction services. While safer nicotine products such as nicotine pouches and vapes can be life-changing. However, it is incumbent on policymakers to act to address the structural barriers to health faced by women who smoke.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we urge all stakeholders—from governments and partners to civil society and citizens—to support science-based approaches to reduce smoking rates among women on the continent.
