Several factors are driving the increase in female smoking, especially in developing
countries.The single most important factor may be the rise in spending power among
girls and women, which is making cigarettes more affordable. Social and cultural norms
that have traditionally prevented women in many countries from smoking are weakening,
rendering smoking among women more socially acceptable. It is also seen that greater
female autonomy and changes in women’s roles are associated with smoking uptake in
countries like the USA, prompting predictions of similar patterns in developing countries.