Israel prepares to step up fight against smoking

In Israel, a new bill will be submitted to Parliament, moving towards stronger regulation of smoking. Initiated by the chairwoman of the Health Committee, it plans in particular to reduce access to smoking for younger generations, and to curb the influence of the tobacco industry in public decision-making.

Israel appears determined to step up its efforts to combat smoking. Idit Silman, chairwoman of the Health Committee in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, has indicated that she hopes the country will eventually move toward a total ban on smoking when the conditions are right.[1].

Israel wants to reduce access and exposure to smoking

The bill tabled by the Committee Chair could represent a major step forward in Israel's fight against smoking. It would raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products to 21. The bill also seeks to reduce the Israeli population's exposure to tobacco smoke by proposing to ban smoking on balconies, after reviewing their legal status. Furthermore, while the proper enforcement of anti-smoking laws is currently the prerogative of local authorities, the Committee Chair has announced that she wants to ensure that the police can be called upon to carry out checks, particularly to ensure the effectiveness of the ban on smoking in vehicles.

Combating tobacco industry interference at heart of bill

At the same time, Idit Silman's bill aims to regulate and limit the influence of manufacturers in public decision-making by banning the tobacco industry's lobbying activities in the Knesset. Progress in the fight against smoking has been slowing down significantly over the past decade, during which time smoking prevalence has stagnated at around 20% of the population. However, part of these difficulties can be attributed to the tobacco industry's interference, which notably helped to neutralize an amendment proposing a total ban on tobacco advertising several years ago. The tobacco epidemic affects the Israeli population unevenly, since while 12.6% of women smoke, this proportion reaches 27.3% of men. Similarly, the Arab community in Israel is more heavily affected by smoking (26.3%), than the Jewish community (18.4%)[2].

Keywords: Israel, Health Committee, Bill, Knesset

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[1] The Jerusalem Post, Knesset to take new steps against smoking, 10/01/2022, (accessed 11/01/2022)

[2] State of Israel Ministry of State, Rates of Smoking in Israel, (accessed 11/01/2022)

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