By COLlive reporter
The Health Committee of the Israeli Knesset recently met to discuss the results of an extensive survey they conducted about the prevalence of smoking in the country and possible steps to prevent it.
Acting Committee Chairman, MK Osher Shkalim (Likud) called on the Ministries of Health, Education, and Finance to work together to increase the budget for anti-smoking programs among students and youth.
Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of the Public Health Division at the Ministry of Health, warned of the electronic cigarette epidemic, noting that a teenager who has tried an electronic cigarette is four times more likely to become addicted to regular cigarettes.
She presented extensive survey data, revealing that one in five adults in Israel smokes, with nearly 40% smoking in the Arab sector. Among youth, 8.1% smoke at least once a week and 4.8% smoke at least once a day.
The situation is even worse in the haredi communities: 54% of students in small yeshivas, such as Mesivta and Yeshiva Ketana, smoke. Their ages range between 14 and 18.
In the older age group, between 18 and 22, the percentage of regular smokers in yeshivas (Yeshiva Gedola and Zal) is a staggering 56%.
She mentioned the drafting of a government bill to ban flavors in electronic cigarettes, prevent the sale of smoking products that resemble or are designed as toys, restrict the sale of smoking products to specialty stores, reduce the number of sales points, and raise the legal age for purchasing to 21.
Dr. Alroy-Preis called for allocating part of the cigarette tax revenue to a dedicated program to eradicate the phenomenon.
But Eliran Turgeman, Director of the Smoking Cessation Hotline, emphasized that it is contradictory to explain the harms while simultaneously selling tempting and tasty products like electronic cigarettes nearby.
He pointed out a decrease in passive smoking harm from 1,500 deaths a year to 800, but noted an increase in calls to the hotline since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
To prove being “cool” or out of relieving stress. Of course Rebbeim smoked as well but that’s on a different level. For relieving stress – it’s not good for your physical health but to watch inappropriate things like woman dressed 1/2 ….. i cant even write it, is damaging spiritually and mentally. Choice is yours…
smoking is not cool at all it is the opposite of cool
don’t smoke
I was taught that as soon as the Freidiker Rebbe was told that cigarettes have been found to be bad for health, he stopped smoking.
At least that’s better then the American Yeshivos
Not at all
I had no idea so many people smoked! That’s awful!
what are you saying, bochurim i america do much worse
Litvisher Bochurim or Chassidisher? It seems Chassidim (Lubavtich and other groups in America) smoke more
Its not they smoke more. u see them more
The smoking itself is not an issue, it’s the places smokers find themselves. Just like the image of this article, it’s bochrim and teenage girls in a smoking room together. This is clearly yichud and is forbidden.
it causes lung cancer and a bunch of other problems
Do you know the meaning of yichud?
A room like that which has see through walls and viewable to the public is not yichud
I almost started smoking when I was in Israel, but I remembered my mother’s words before going, to do her a favor and never touch a cigarette, even if all my friends start smoking and I’m very tempted.
I think all mothers need to have a nice talk with your children before going to Israel about smoking and ask them to do them this one favor..
literal poisons and toxins
And not amarican
I will never date someone who smokes
not dangerous
i heard even in crown hieghts yeshivos theres smoking vaping etc.
Vapes have been proven to be highly dangerous
I mean you could say that, but there is no source for that
Vaping has been proven by studies to be very dangerous
HORRIBLE! ATTENTION ALL SMOKERS
STOP SMOKING PERMANENTLY IMMEDIATELY
IT’S VERY HARMFUL, DANGEROUS, AND BAD FOR YOU! PLEASE STOP!
I’m actually a chain smoker, but because I saw your Collive.com comment I’ve decided to quit.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart
excellent!
honestly that’s great
we need immediate education sessions for all frum jewish smokers from medical doctors to teach them why they need to quit immediately
What we’re going to let the non frum jews die of smoking?
Who are you?
Every yid counts
pretty sure most public school teach about the dangers of smoking and therefore most of them dont end up smoking
it pollutes the air. No one else wants to breathe in those toxins either. Secondhand smoke can damage other people in the area.
It’s not inconsiderate if you do it outdoors. You have to give them somewhere to do it.
or in a place where people are about to be. Nah they don’t need a place because what they need to do is quit!
smoking is really gross and disgusting. I would never want my husband to smoke. To all men out there, please do not smoke
Smoking isn’t cool – the comments are saying
But weed, marijuana, psychedelics? Very trendy and prevalent…
Clearly everyone in the comments here are big professionals of what’s cool and not cool
and all the other things you listed are also not cool at all
having good middos is cool
Being healthy and a non-smoker is cool
As a woman in shidduchim, a brochur who smokes is an IMMEDIATE NO from me. Smells bad, damages health, addictive and expensive
You are also off my list too. I would like a women that can spell.
what if your bashert wants a non-smoker
Actually, she spelled it right. You didn’t.
1 woMAN
2 woMEN
women = plural
woman = singular
practice what u preach sir..
can i ask what the spelling error is cuz i dont see any..
bRochur. But that could be an unintentional error, whereas the ‘women’ is usually ignorance. We refused smoking suggestions for our children and they are all married. I refused for myself, having seen my father o”h die of smoking related lung cancer. It’s not a pretty sight and very painful. Have a good day.
I’m surprised the number isn’t higher, from firsthand knowledge I think the number unfortunately is higher.
It is a huge problem in Israel, and especially among bochurim. They smoke in America too, its natural for them.
Its known that sports in America is like smoking in Israel, and sports in Israel is like smoking in America
like internet. worry about that?
Smoking is just as bad
גודל המחטיאו יותר מהורגו! smoking ruins the body, while open internet destroys the nashama!
Interesting that you should sweep under the carpet a major issue because there are other issues. They all need to be dealt with.
All your concerns are valid. we have to dig deeper and find the real underlying issues over here. If all these bochurim had proper emotional support we would not have so many kids smoking, using drugs, and worse rachmomah litzlan . just think about that for a minute.
If they can carry a gun and serve in the army, they are old enough to decide about smoking. They shouldn’t smoke regardless, but many smoke for stress relief – as the article says numbers went up since the start of the war.
That doesnt make it right and is still an issur min hatorah
with yeshivos and girls high schools, I wouldn’t be surprised if the number was higher.
Im myself someone who is and has been suffering with anxiety. Unfortunately all the frum therapists charge… and a lot.. $200/$300 or more a session.. many ppl cannot afford and so the problem continues and kids get stressed too.
If ppl would work under insurance/medicaid it would be way more accessible and it would reduce the amount of smokers.
maybe the smoke is causing anxiety
can sometimes be caused by eating gluten and cane sugar. and chocolate, coffee, caffeine.. Or doing things that your soul doesn’t want you to do.
Some therapists could often your families to ACS and cause a lifetime of damage.
Its hard to know which therapists are the ones whob report.
You might be better off not taking your kid to therapy even if your son smokes. Better than a therapist who calls ACS on you.
This is what I saw in my head when seeing the article headline:
Survey: Every Second Yeshiva Bochur in Israel ARE COPING WITH YESHIVA LIFE ANXIETY THROUGH SMOKING (!!)
p.s: I attribute this to the mashgichim.
collive, i want to see you do something about this severe smoking problem
can you get doctors and medical people to post opeds to convince people to stop smoking
post facts about how dangerous and harmful smoking is to the body, the lungs, and all other parts of the body
very important
post links and scientific info about this