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WHO says tobacco control misses tobacco chewing women in Cambodia
The United Nations health agency says that tobacco control programmes that focus on cigarette smokers miss a huge number of women, who chew tobacco in Cambodia.
woman chewing tobacco
A study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization says that while very Cambodian few women smoke cigarettes, nearly half of all rural women in the country chew tobacco.
The study, based on the largest nationwide survey on adult tobacco use in Cambodia, found that many of the women started the habit when they were pregnant, seeking relief from morning sickness.
Health experts say that chewing tobacco appears to be strongly influenced by beliefs passed on by older relatives. The behavior is also seen as a rite of passage to womanhood.
They warn that pregnant women who use tobacco put their babies at risk of low-birth weight, decreased lung function and even stillbirth.
The experts note that tobacco control programmes in Cambodia face the challenge of long-held traditional beliefs and may need to include health education for older relatives and health workers.
Bissera Kostova, United Nations
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