SMOKING FOR WOMEN

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1928, Page 6

SMOKING FOR WOMEN

PRACTICE CONDEMNED EFFECT ON NERVOUS SYSTEM. The outspoken appraisal of the cigar-ette-smoking woman, given prominence during the recent lecture tour of Miss Maude Royden, did not take cognisance of the strictly medical aspect. This viewpoint was expressed trenchantly yesterday by Dr. Buckley Turkington, who, as a lady medical practitioner, deplored the effect of what she considered to be the lenient standard of conduct adopted toward the question of the noted publicist. Dr. Turkington’s dictum is that no woman should be allowed to smoko uutil she is 21. After that, she can please herself. “It is a mistake, from the medical point of view, especially ler young girls, to indulge in smoking,” she said. ‘lt stimulates and then depresses the nervous system, with harmful effect; on the health. The general belief that it steadies the nervous system is erroneous. Nicotine poison is present in a slight form in cigarettes, and too much smoking results in over-stimulation of the system and subsequent depression. “Without wishing to appear old-fash-ioned, I believe that smoking for women is wrong from the point of view of the good upbringing of the race. Women, who are entrusted with the privilege of looking after the coming generation, possess nervous systems which are much more easily stimulated than those z of men. After all, we have a duty to the generation which must follow us, and should lead an ordinary, normal, healthy life among healthy surroundings. The addition of cigarette-smoking to give a stimulus to th© nervous system is like impairing good digestion with too many chocolates.

SOME STANDARD ADVOCATED. “Miss Royden, of course, is at liberty to do as she likes, but there should bo some sort of standard for the younger generation. I have seen girls of 17 and 18 drinking whisky and soda and smoking interminable cigarettes in England when their brothers, caught in the act by their fathers, would be given a good thrashing. Yet it is a far ino-e serious thing for girls than for boys. It is a pity women cannot set up their own standard in this matter, instead of imitating men. We laugh at women who affect men’s collars and hats; why should wo not laugh at women who copy men’s smoking habits?’’ Dr. Tukington confessed i. liking for a occasional cigarette herself, but claimed that was a different thing from the general smoking indulged in to such a largo extent by young girls. Young women should keep away from tho habit until they were old enough to think and look after themselves. If the habit were commenced at an early age it was liable to become ingrained, and there was a danger of it leading to pther indulgences. WOMEN MORE SUSCEPTIBLE. Dr. Turkington’s views were approved hi part by another lady doctor, who expressed tho view that women were more susceptible to tobacco smoking than men. While she did not admire cigarette smoking carried to excess, she saw r.o harm in moderate smoking. “A woman has a perfect right to smoke an occasional cigarette, and it cannot possibly do her any harm,” she said. Cigarettes, however, should be kept away from the young mother, and smoking was strictly denied to her own patients. As far as Miss Royden was concerned, she had been asked a question and replied that she certainly liked an _ occasional cigarette. Sho was certainly not a regular smoker and was, in all probbility, very much opposed to immoderate smoking.