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Women need new ways to quit smoking

Psychological issues rather than nicotine addiction blamed for growing numbers

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Stress, sadness, boredom and peer pressure were some of the psychological reasons for smoking cited by women in the survey carried out by Dr William Li Ho-cheung, of the University of Hong Kong's School of Nursing. Photo: AP

Hong Kong's growing numbers of female smokers need a different approach than men to help them quit, the Council on Smoking and Health said yesterday after a survey showed cigarettes served as an emotional crutch for many women.

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Stress, sadness, boredom and peer pressure were some of the psychological reasons for smoking cited by women in the survey carried out by Dr William Li Ho-cheung, of the University of Hong Kong's School of Nursing.

"We found that many women smoke because of psychological factors," said Li yesterday. "To target women in smoke cessation, we need to help them tackle negative emotions and psychological problems."

In contrast, said Professor Lam Tai-hing, community medicine chair professor at the university, nicotine reliance was the main difficulty faced by men trying to quit.

Moreover, women sometimes felt uncomfortable surrounded by men in stop-smoking sessions and would be more comfortable talking to woman counsellors, he added.

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Both Lam and council chairwoman Lisa Lau Man-man called for more government resources to specifically help women smokers to quit.

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