A recent study conducted by researchers at University College London has unveiled a concerning 25% surge in the prevalence of cigarette smoking among younger middle-class women over the past decade. The study indicates that while the overall rate of smoking has shown a general decline over the past ten years, the proportion of smoking women aged 18-45 from higher socioeconomic backgrounds has escalated from 12% to 15%. A noteworthy finding is the simultaneous decrease in the percentage of smoking women from less advantaged backgrounds within the same age group, from 29% to 22%. Conversely, smoking rates among men from all socioeconomic backgrounds have remained constant.
I, as one of these middle-class female smokers, am uncertain of the reasons for my habit. Although I do not smoke habitually, I occasionally indulge in one or two cigarettes when stressed or upset, perhaps after work. I am compelled to question why, like many others in my position, I have not found an alternative. The comforting ritual of inhaling can, at times, exert a strange allure, akin to the less commendable aspects of breathwork.
Growing up in Yorkshire, smoking was prevalent among individuals in my age group and was widely perceived as fashionable. However, as we entered adulthood, most of my female peers who had previously smoked during school either quit or transitioned to vaping. I found myself increasingly isolated in my habit.
The observed trend of increased smoking among younger affluent women is intriguing, and even the researchers of this study have been unable to provide definitive reasons for this shift. Proposed factors, such as the influence of social media or the lack of effective strategies to prevent long-term relapse in this cohort, remain speculative, necessitating further research in this area.
As a fellow smoker, I have my own hypotheses. Unlike those from less privileged backgrounds, many middle-class individuals may not have witnessed the adverse effects of smoking firsthand. They may not have grown up in environments where the impact of lung cancer or the loss of a parent who smoked was palpable. Furthermore, for some, the allure of smoking persists due to its perceived association with glamour and rebellion.
Despite sustained efforts to dispel the allure of smoking over the years, there seems to be a resurgence, particularly amidst the mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic. Notably, young women have turned to vaping as an alternative means of nicotine consumption, with the number of daily female vapers in the UK more than tripling over the past year. This shift in consumption habits suggests that nicotine remains highly popular, albeit in a slightly different form.
While I am not currently prepared to give up smoking, I have developed a plan to quit as I approach my 30th birthday. It will serve as a personal gift to myself and a commitment to embark on a healthier phase of my life. Meanwhile, I cannot help but notice my friends’ continued bewilderment as they persist with their vaping habits.