Released on Tuesday to considerable comment from the media, this new report from the US Surgeon General reveals that smoking has become a leading killer of American women in just two generations. Women now account for 39 percent of the country's smoking-related deaths, more than doubling the proportion of 1965. While the rate of adult women smokers has not changed much, that of teenaged girls has increased in the past ten years. In addition, the report finds a direct link between education levels and smoking -- women who have not completed high school are nearly three times more likely to smoke than those who have some postgraduate education. Users can read the full text of the report, along with a summary, fact sheets, and related materials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) site.
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