The Republic of Ireland, at 31 per cent, occupied joint third position, with Germany, in a league table of the percentage of women who smoke in different countries.
Only Venezuelan and Argentinian women have higher smoking rates in World Bank statistics from the year 2000.
In France the percentage of women who smoke is slightly less at 30 per cent; 26 per cent of women in Britain smoke, according to the figures of European states. Portugal at 7 per cent has the lowest percentage of women smokers in Europe.
Korea, China and India have female smoking rates of 3 to 5 per cent. Moroccan women, at 2 per cent are the most abstemious. In the Republic, the percentage of young women who smoke continues to rise, while the rate among men is reducing.
The latest report from the National Cancer Registry, due to be published in September, will show an increase in the number of women dying from lung cancer as a direct result.
Smoking in both sexes starts young, with tobacco addiction beginning in adolescence in 80 per cent of Irish smokers.
A study of youth smoking and exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in New Zealand, presented at the World Conference on Tobacco or Health yesterday, found that 24 per cent of secondary school students were exposed to smoke in the home. Dr H. Darling of the University of Otago, Dunedin, said decreasing second-hand smoke exposure should help to reduce the number of young smokers.