Female New Yorkers are quitting smoking

Things have changed a great deal since Holly Golightly looked so fabulous elegantly wafting her long cigarette holder in Tiffany’s.

Smoking is no longer seen as the glamorous accessory it once was.

Maybe it’s the message about the aging effects of smoking or maybe it was the targeted campaign of the New York health officials – but smoking among women in New York has been on the decline for a few years.

According to figures published by the city’s Department of Health the number of women over 18 who smoke has dropped sharply.

Even better news for the future = only a quarter of all new smokers in the city were women. Signs at last let’s hope that young women may be waking up to the dangers of smoking on their health AND on their looks in later life.

It’s probably not a coincidence that the city has been actively targeting smokers in recent years. Taxes on cigarettes have been increased; a smoking ban was introduced in bars and restaurants and nicotine patches given out to help people quit smoking.

No doubt a part of the decline in smoking is due to these changes but maybe also some of those women who quit smoking had a growing awareness of how smoking would age their skin.

Whatever their reasons – let’s hope the quit smoking message spreads as far as possible outside of New York.