The line graph illustrates the trends in smoking prevalence among men and women in Bhutan over a period spanning from 1960 to 2000.
Overall, there is a pronounced decline in the number of male smokers, while the trend for female smokers exhibits a more gradual decrease after an initial rise.
In 1960, the number of male smokers stood at 600 per 1000 individuals, which represented a significantly higher prevalence compared to their female counterparts, who numbered only 75. This disparity persisted throughout the following decades; however, a notable decline in male smoking rates was observed, dropping to 350 by the year 2000. The most substantial decrease occurred between 1980 and 1995, where the figures fell sharply from 450 to 375 respectively.
Conversely, female smoking rates demonstrated an increasing trend until 1975, peaking at 250 before gradually declining to 275 in 2000. Notably, the numbers for female smokers increased from 150 in 1965 to 300 by 1980, showcasing a rising acceptance of smoking among women. Despite this initial surge, the overall reduction in female smokers became evident towards the late 1990s, culminating in a total of 150 female smokers in 2000, in stark contrast to the 350 male smokers recorded in the same year.