There is both good and bad news. To start with good one first, a decline has been witnessed in the overall smoking rates and average cigarette consumption across the United States. Concerning part is that young women have been opting for 'very light' smoking, which is not good for health.

The study researchers have termed very light smoking as having five or fewer cigarettes per day. A team being led by Carole Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin has assessed a data having almost 9,800 women aged between 18 and 25. These women had taken part in a federal government survey in 2011.

The researchers came to know almost one out 5 of the participants were very light smokers. They are considered to be casual smokers who think that smoking once in a while is not harmful.

The researchers said, "Emerging adulthood, spanning ages 18 to 25, is an important developmental stage and is the period when the prevalence of most types of risky behaviors is highest".

The researchers said around 62% of the current smokers were very light smokers and around 71% were non-daily smokers. Women were more into very light smoking in comparison to heavy or daily smoking.

Women aged between 18 and 20 years were the ones to be very light smokers. Factors behind opting for the habit in this age group include college life and weekend party. All these and other factors may make women to smoke at a very light level.

Very light smokers were having higher risks for psychological distress, lifetime depression or misuse of alcohol and illicit drugs.