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The Tobacco industry is slowly but steadily spreading its tentacles towards women.

On the eve of the World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization ( WHO) has expressed concern over the industry's attempts to associate tobacco use with beauty and liberation.

“ We know tobacco advertising is increasingly targeting girls,” Dr Ala Alwan, WHO assistant director- general for non- communicable diseases and mental health, said.

“ Tobacco use is neither liberating nor glamorous.” Women are being wooed to replace those users who will quit or die prematurely from tobacco- related diseases, Alwan said. They are also more vulnerable to passive smoking.

Of the 4,30, 000 adult deaths caused by passive smoking every year across the world, 64 per cent are women.

Even among smokers, about 200 million of the worlds one billion smokers are women. The WHO says tobacco prevention and cessation programmes should be integrated into maternal, child and reproductive health services.

Also, since illiteracy is higher among women, the warnings against tobacco use must include pictures that can convey the message effectively.

Though women constitute only about 20 per cent of the worlds smokers, tobacco use among girls is increasing in some countries and regions, the WHO says.

The consequences could be alarming because women smokers face a higher risk of infertility and delays in conceiving.

Smoking during pregnancy increases the chances of premature delivery, stillbirth and newborn death, and may even dry up breast milk.

It also increases the risk of cervical cancer.

According to the WHO, in half of the 151 countries surveyed for trends in tobacco use among young people, there wasn't much difference between the number of men and women smokers.

More girls used tobacco in countries such as Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Cook Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria and Uruguay.

According to the estimates of the latest National Family Health Survey, 57 per cent men and 10.8 per cent women consume tobacco in India.