Tobacco Harm Reduction Women: South Africa's Gap
August 12, 2026 by tobaccoharmreduction.net
Tobacco Harm Reduction Women: South Africa's Gap
Women’s smoking is often shaped by factors that generic tobacco policy fails to see: stress, stigma, caregiving, mental health, poverty and unequal access to support. Tobacco harm reduction can offer another route for women who have not been reached by conventional cessation alone. That means recognising different patterns of use, different barriers to quitting and the need for non-judgemental information about lower-risk alternatives. Public health becomes stronger when it stops treating smokers as one uniform group.
23.30% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 10.9 million current smokers in South Africa 39.30% of men are current smokers but only 8.50% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
