A new study by the smoking cessation initiative, on the occasion of the International Day for the Fight against Smoking, which will take place on May 31, reveals: The number of youth in Israel who smoke daily has doubled in the last four years.
Also, e-cigarettes became a "gateway" to smoking, with every second child (aged 14-12) and every third boy (17-15) starting their way as smokers through it.
The conclusion of the study is that middle age has become the central period - not only of first and varied experience in smoking products, but also of turning the experienced smokers into active smokers for the rest of their lives.
According to the findings, the proportion of young people aged 17-15 who smoke daily has doubled in the last four years: from 4.7% in 2019 to 9.7% of smokers in 2022.
Among 19-18 year olds, a record was broken: from 25% of smokers in 2019, to 35% in 2021 and 39% this year - 1.5 times in relation to the smoking rates in this age group before the marketing of e-cigarettes.
A surge was also recorded in the extent of teens' experience with e-cigarette smoking: 33% reported experiencing it in 2022, compared with 24% in 2021.
A similar trend also occurred in the adult group (30-18), where the number of e-cigarette users in the last three years jumped from 3.8% in 2020, to 9.4% in 2022.
The study, which was based on 3,100 respondents in Jewish and Arab companies, attributes the jump in e-cigarette consumption to three factors: the penetration of various e-cigarette brands into the market in 2020-2019, and the expansion of their distribution routes from dedicated stores - to explosives and supermarkets;
The entry of disposable e-cigarettes into Israel with the return of the economy to routine;
Abolition of corona closure policy and return to social gatherings.
Despite the law banning the sale of smoking products to minors, the study found a sharp 62% increase in the proportion of teens purchasing smoking products themselves: from 26% in 2019 to 43% in 2022.
“Social acquisition,” through a request from an adult or smoking friends, has become the second most frequent way teens get smoking products.
Two-thirds of 17-15-year-olds reported not encountering any barrier at the time of purchase.
43% of them were not asked for their age and 16% were asked for their age - and they were still sold smoking products.
Explosions and grocery stores continue to serve as the primary place for teens to purchase their smoking products (16%).
In second place are the dedicated smoking stores (9%), followed by the convenience stores at the gas station (7.4%).
Shira Kislev, CEO of the Smoking Eradication Initiative: “The state receives a failed grade in the fight against smoking and in protecting the next generation.
Although the law prohibits the sale of smoking products to minors, there is no oversight.
Teens buy cigarettes and other smoking products, at higher rates than ever before.
These findings necessitate keeping sleep out of the eyes of the heads of the health system and the legislature. "
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