New Study: Smoking High Among Young White Women in NYC [03/30/05]

New Study: Smoking High Among Young White Women in NYC [03/30-4]

Excerpts from: Smoking, drinking among young white women high

By ROBERT KAHN Newsday [03/30/05]

In a new city Health Department report notable for highlighting how black, Hispanic and low-income women suffer from more preventable diseases than whites, one aberration came to light: Young white women like Chuaqui were identified as smokers or binge drinkers roughly three times more than their minority counterparts.

The findings, which mirror recent national studies, have startled some health experts -- but not many 18- to 24-year-old women of any race.

"Women at Risk: The Health of Women in New York City," structured around the city's Take Care New York health policy, found that almost a third of college-age white women report having smoked "at least 100 cigarettes" in their lifetime, compared to 1 in 10 of their black counterparts and one in five Hispanics.

Among 18- to 24-year-olds, nearly a third of white women reported binge drinking, meaning they've consumed "five or more" alcoholic beverages on one occasion, also about three times more than their black and Hispanic counterparts.

The report said these racial disparities begin to dissipate as the women reach their mid-20s, prompting health experts to question why young white women have such self-destructive habits.

"It could be ... young women think that if they smoke, they'll lose weight," said Christine Quinn (D-Chelsea), chair of the City Council's Health Committee.

The city's deputy health commissioner, Dr. Lorna Thorpe, agreed, but added that there's little evidence to support the notion of cigarettes as a diet device.

And she suggested the media is a likely culprit, as well.

"There are legitimate questions about the extent to which this problem is fueled by advertising," Thorpe said.

She said even less is understood about the link between binge drinking and young white women, though there is some evidence it's linked to a young woman's access to disposable income.

Some young adults last week suggested young women drink more because, at 21, they "finally can," though that doesn't address the racial disparity.

"When people haven't been allowed to drink, they tend to go a bit mad when they finally are," said Rose Childerhause, 22, a Parsons School of Design student.

Other observers noted that smoking and drinking are after-work social activities favored by young Manhattan professionals, the kind who work in entertainment, fashion and publicity -- industries dominated by whites.

Still, some said the lure of vices applies across the board, as do the ads that attract people to them. "In my neighborhood, you have the tobacco ads, the liquor stores, the greasy eateries, a church and a burial ground," said Charles Barron (D-East New York), who is chair of the City Council's Higher Education committee, and who is black. "You do all that, then we bless you and send you to your grave."

Barron said the pointed racial differences in the new study caught him off guard, because it is young black women who historically have more stress from issues like employment, tuition costs and housing, and who would seemingly be attracted to these two vices.

"But maybe that's just not our tool of escape," he said.

The Health Department study did find that black women were more likely to be obese, and that nearly twice as many black women have been hospitalized for drug use.

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