For many decades, dating back to the early 1920’s smoking had been considered an unthinkable thing to do in public if at all. Prior to that time, Hollywood beautified images of famous women smoking cigarettes on film, billboards and in several magazines. Although smoking was still considered taboo within much of the public’s eye at the time, it had been introduced to the female population as a trendsetting and refined thing to do. Knowing this, why are the women of today’s society still smoking if health risks exist for themselves and others?

Many women often smoke socially and aren’t consciously aware of the peril that they are immersing themselves into. In social settings, including clubs and bar scenes it isn’t exceptional to find people having a cigarette while sipping a glass of Chardonnay. Over the past several years, many restaurants and places of business have decided to banish smoking altogether because we have become aware of the dangers that smoking causes. Women have been more likely to experience a continuing problem with smoking because of the stresses they encounter, such as work, motherhood and having to measure up to their spouse’s standards as a wife.

Many of us may not cope or respond very well with changes that occur throughout our lives, while the remainder of us doesn’t let stress discourage us from achieving success. Women who are smokers are often eager to find relief from everyday stresses and daily routines.

Another reason we may find women smoking more than men is to attempt maintain their weight, as well as to lose weight. A great deal of emphasis is placed by society on how women are supposed to appear and the vast majority of thin women are thought to be the most desirable. There seems to be some validity in the belief that smoking cigarettes suppress the appetite, since the nerve endings in our taste buds and nasal passages deaden over time in response to food.

There are still many more women who smoke to attempt to fill a void from the occasional sting of loneliness. Although many of us enjoy being social with one another, some women are not as outgoing and attempt to avoid social interactions by smoking a cigarette, since many people have an aversion to smoking. Since quite a few of us have an aversion to cigarette smoke, smoking offers women some form of relief from social activities.

For those who are really introverted, smoking may replace the need for friendship although the previous appeal to smoking is currently decreasing.