Key Points

According to the 2024 Smoking Data Report, 20.5 per cent of Israelis smoke -- a rate 30 per cent higher than the global average. Compounding the problem, the rate of smoking cessation in Israel is 50 per cent lower than the OECD average. The use of electronic cigarettes among youth is particularly alarming, with more than half of teens who experiment with smoking starting with e-cigarettes.

"The picture of the situation we present today reflects a worrying reality: the smoking epidemic continues and constitutes one of the deadliest health risk factors in the State of Israel," said Minister of Health MK Uriel Bosso. "It is responsible for enormous morbidity and preventable death - especially among young people."

A survey conducted by the Department of Health Education and Promotion and the National Center for Disease Control after the start of the war found that the smoking rate has remained steady over the past decade. However, disparities persist. The report revealed that 40.3 per cent of Arab men smoke, and exposure to secondhand smoke in Arab communities is nearly double that of Jewish communities.

"We are fighting this epidemic with all our might," Bosso said. "In the past year, we have taken a series of significant steps: from the new regulations that require graphic warnings on smoking products, including electronic cigarettes, to extensive educational activities, dedicated outreach, and a national smoking cessation center - which operates free of charge."

Among the report's key findings is the popularity of flavored smoking products among teenagers. The vast majority of teen users reported using flavored tobacco: 88 per cent of hookah users, 82 per cent of electronic cigarette users, and 45 per cent of users of regular cigarettes or rolling tobacco. The Ministry of Health has announced its intention to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and disposable vaporizers as part of its next steps.

A first-of-its-kind survey among youth in Haredi society also showed high levels of experimentation with smoking products. In Haredi high school yeshivahs, 54 per cent of students had tried smoking, and among at-risk Haredi youth, the figure reached 80 per cent.

"Preventing smoking and its harms is a top priority for the Ministry of Health," he said. "Unfortunately, the use of electronic cigarettes, especially among young people, is gaining momentum, which is also affecting the extent of smoking regular cigarettes," said Director General of the Ministry of Health Moshe Bar Siman Tov.

As part of its national strategy, the ministry established an action team to re-examine its smoking prevention policies. This led to the recent approval of new regulations mandating the placement of graphic health warnings on cigarette packs, including electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products. These warnings, which supplement existing verbal messages, are intended to illustrate the serious health consequences of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure.

"As is clearly reflected this year, smoking tobacco and its products is still the leading preventable cause of death," she said. "The report's data, which shows, among other things, the increasing use of electronic cigarettes, are a reminder that this is a dangerous product, certainly for the youth who make significant use of these cigarettes," said Dr. Sharon Alrai Price, head of the ministry's Public Health Division.

While 82 local and regional authorities reported activity under the Public Smoking Prevention Law, the ministry noted that over 65 per cent of municipalities failed to submit the required data. The report added that many municipalities that did provide data failed to enforce the law effectively.

"This is a national public health responsibility," Bosso said. "We are working with all the tools at our disposal to eradicate this epidemic."

The ministry's report comes on the heels of two reports released on Wednesday. A survey by the Israel Cancer Association found that approximately one-third of Israelis have recently started or returned to smoking, largely due to stress and anxiety related to war. About 5 per cent of current smokers said they have increased their smoking since the start of the war.

In a separate position paper released the same day, the Israeli Pulmonary Association called smoking one of the most devastating and preventable epidemics facing the country. Despite legislative progress -- including bans on smoking in public spaces, on public transportation, and on the sale of cigarettes to minors -- enforcement remains inadequate, it said. (ANI/TPS)

- ANI