Tobacco use and women’s health: an opportunity in international health promotion and a case study of tobacco policy in Canada

Increasing numbers of girls and women are using tobacco worldwide. As a marginalized population, women are targeted for the sale of tobacco products and social structures are organized in a manner that increases their tobacco usage. Furthermore, as a result of their anatomy and physiology, women experience greater health problems than their male counterparts when consuming the same amount of tobacco. Tobacco usage among women must be addressed globally through the lens of health promotion. Health can be increased for women, and in turn, the entire population by taking policy measures to address the issue of tobacco usage. This paper will use Canada as an example for examining the economic and political aspects of the tobacco industry and policy changes that must be made in order to promote health.