In advance of World No Tobacco Day on May 31, researchers from York University's Global Strategy Lab (GSL) have released a new study revealing a significant gap in gender analysis within tobacco control research. Published in BMJ Tobacco Control, the study emphasizes that overlooking gender-specific factors may be limiting the effectiveness of smoking cessation strategies.

This field continues to ignore gender, despite its major influence on tobacco use and the impact of related policies, says Mathieu Poirier, Assistant Professor in York’s Faculty of Health, York Research Chair in Global Health Equity, and Director of GSL. Without a gender lens, we’re missing critical insights into how tobacco control interventions actually work.

Poirier, alongside fellow researchers Tina Nanyangwe-Moyo (GSL Investigator) and Laura R. Pereira (GSL Research Assistant), reviewed 43 peer-reviewed studies on tobacco control. While some studies differentiated between men and women, only five explored gender-specific outcomes of tobacco control policies.

The way gender is integrated into current research is minimal, says Nanyangwe-Moyo. Our work aims to highlight how differences in smoking behavior between men and women can shape more effective global policies and cessation programs. This study marks the first in a series by York University and GSL that will explore the intersection of gender and tobacco control.

Despite declining smoking rates in Canada 14.8% among men and 10.2% among women tobacco use remains widespread globally. In 2020, the World Health Organization reported that 36.7% of men and 7.8% of women worldwide used tobacco products.

The researchers focused on cigarette smoking, rather than vaping, citing its widespread use and higher associated health risks. While vaping carries its own risks, combustible tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death, says Poirier.

Moving forward, the research team plans to publish additional studies on gender and smoking. One will examine global patterns in daily cigarette consumption by gender and explore the socio-cultural factors influencing these trends. Another will assess whether the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has been equally effective for both men and women worldwide.

This is just the beginning, Poirier adds. We’re opening the door to a critical and long-overlooked area of research in tobacco control.

Source: https://www.yorku.ca/news/2025/05/28/lack-of-gender-lens-in-tobacco-control-research-could-stymie-efforts-to-help-smokers-quit-york-u-researchers-say/