Data presented at a meeting today indicated that one in five adults in Israel smokes, with the rate climbing to one in two among haredi (ultra-Orthodox) adults. The committee raised alarms about the high prevalence of smoking and the growing addiction to electronic cigarettes, which are reportedly four times more addictive than regular cigarettes. Acting Committee Chairman MK Osher Shkalim (Likud) emphasized the importance of new legislation requiring warnings about the dangers of smoking on cigarette packs.
He called for a coordinated effort between the ministries of Health, Education, and Finance to boost funding for smoking prevention programs targeting students and teenagers. "The data presented is deeply concerning, and we must act swiftly to mitigate this ," said Shkalim. "I urge the Health Ministry to design a comprehensive national smoking prevention program and present its costs to the committee.
" MK Almog Cohen (Otzma Yehudit) voiced concern over the lack of decline in smoking rates in Israel. "Despite global trends, we haven't seen a significant drop in the number of smokers here, nor the widespread adoption of tobacco substitutes seen in other countries," Cohen stated. Dr.
Sharon Elrai-Price, head of the Public Health Division at the Health Ministry, warned of an "epidemic" of electronic cigarette use. "The risk of a teenager who has tried an electronic cigarette becoming addicted to regular cigarettes is four times higher," she noted. Elrai-Price presented survey.