5月31號是“世界無煙日”，世界衛生組織將今年“世界無煙日”的主題確定為“兩性與煙草：關注針對女性的促銷行為”。 世衛組織公報指出，現在在一些國家女性吸煙者、特別是吸煙的年輕女孩越來越多。這一趨勢著實令人擔憂。世衛組織的專家發現，雖然目前女性吸煙者比例并不高，但是煙草行業為了拓展新消費群體，正將女性作為重要的目標。世衛組織“無煙行動”主任貝徹博士表示，雖然現在在全球10多億煙民當中，女性煙民只有2億，而且女性煙民在同性別人群中的比例遠遠低于男性，但煙草企業正在市場營銷方面投入巨資吸引女性，這種情況在中低收入國家尤其突出。煙草商用各種宣傳方式讓女性相信吸煙是時尚和解放的象征，吸煙甚至可以保持苗條的身材。在這種市場戰略的影響下，越來越多的年輕女孩開始吸煙。世衛組織此前在151個國家進行的調查顯示，有一半國家的女孩與男孩吸煙人數大致相同，在一些國家女孩吸煙的人數甚至要多于男孩。

Females represent the biggest potential growth market for tobacco products and are being subjected to aggressive campaigns linked to fashion, sports events and entertainment, the World Health Organization said.

The World Health Organization called on Friday for more action against tobacco advertising that targets women and girls, especially in developing countries.

Females represent the biggest potential growth market for tobacco products and are being subjected to aggressive campaigns linked to fashion, sports events and entertainment, the United Nations agency said.

"The industry's market strategy is having its desired impact," Douglas Bettcher, director of WHO's tobacco free initiative, said at a news briefing. "More and more girls are starting to light up. This is a serious red flag."

Ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Monday, the WHO released its survey on youth smoking.

The report said that out of 151 countries, half reported that as many teenage girls smoke as boys, and even outnumber boys in parts of Latin America, notably Chile, Colombia and Mexico, as well as in Eastern Europe.

Men account for 80 percent of the world's 1 billion smokers, according to the UN agency. Among adults, 40 percent of men smoke, compared to about 9 percent of women.

In large emerging markets such as China and India, 60 percent of men smoke versus 3 to 5 percent of women, leaving an important market to capture, WHO officials said.

"The tobacco industry is spending heavily on seductive advertisements that target women especially in low- and middle-income countries," Bettcher said. "The advertisements try to dupe women in believing that tobacco use is associated with beauty and liberation."

PINK CIGARETTE PACKS

Some 5 million people die every year from tobacco-related heart attacks, strokes and cancers, including 1.5 million women, according to WHO. Another 430,000 adults die annually from exposure to second-hand smoke, two in three of them women.

A WHO treaty in 2003, ratified by 160 countries, recommended imposing a complete ban on advertising, promotion and marketing of tobacco products. Only 26 countries have done so, it said.

More than $13 billion was spent on tobacco advertising and promotion in the United States in 2005, according to the WHO.

In Japan, where rates of male smokers have sharply fallen in recent years, pink packs of cigarettes are aggressively promoted to attract girls, according to the WHO. In Egypt, one maker uses a cigarette pack resembling a perfume container.

"The industry has studied what makes women tick in both the developed and developing countries," said Adepeju Olukoya, of the WHO's gender, women and health department.

Cigarette maker Philip Morris International said in a statement that it does not market to children or use any images or content that might appeal to minors.

"We believe that regulations can strike the right balance between effectively limiting tobacco product marketing and preserving the ability of tobacco companies to communicate with adult smokers," the maker of Marlboro cigarettes added.

The company said it opposed a total ban on tobacco marketing but supported regulations that restrict advertising, including complete bans in some media, such as television and radio.

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(Agencies)

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）