However, interesting patterns emerge when analysing the reasons why men and women smoke, their motivations to stop, the process of stopping smoking and the barriers they face. It is important to understand these differences so that effective smoking cessation strategies can be developed. Most important are the different psychological and physical dependencies men and women have on their smoking.

This offers some new insights into smokers and their experiences, this time from a gender perspective as well as age group perspective. Men and women start and continue to smoke for many different reasons, and differences also appear when they try to stop. The report describes those differences, which need to be understood by anyone who wants to help a smoker stop smoking, whether as a professional or as a friend.

Introduction
Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease and death.(USDHHS. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General.)

While first experimentation with cigarettes typically occurs earlier in life, smoking frequency increases and regular smoking is usually established in early adulthood.(Everett SA, Warren C, Charp D et al. Smoking initiation and smoking patterns. Everett S, Warren CW, Sharp D et al. Initiation of cigarette smoking and subsequent smoking behavior among high school students. )

In fact, the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that smoking prevalence peaks in early adulthood, with well over one-third of those aged 18–25 years reporting smoking(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Useand Health)

Smokers have a variety of reasons or motives for smoking.
Many people, especially college students, smoke in the context of social situations or to enhance their level of self-confidence.