Nine months late, the Ministry of Health publishes its annual report on smoking. The data in the report is partly identical to the data published in the Minister of Health's report on smoking for 2021 and analyzes the extent of smoking in Israel in 2020. In fact, it has been more than three years that the Ministry of Health has not Checked the extent of smoking in Israel.
It should be noted that the Minister of Health and the Ministry of Health are required to submit a report on the smoking epidemic in Israel to the Knesset's Health Committee once a year.
This is according to the "obligation to report the health damages caused by smoking tobacco products" law.
The report is submitted every year to the Knesset's Health Committee in May, which marks the International No Smoking Day, but this year, as mentioned, the report was submitted with a significant delay.
Smokers (illustration).
Advertise less, smoke the same, photo: GettyImages
We will explain that the law prohibiting the advertising and marketing of tobacco products succeeded in "cutting" tobacco companies' advertising expenses from NIS 64.2 million in 2018 to about NIS 17 million in 2020.
Data that is evidence of a significant impact of the law.
However, despite the decrease in advertising, it seems that there is no significant decrease in the scope of smoking in the State of Israel and the Ministry of Health does not have up-to-date data on the subject.
The Chairman of the Union of Public Health Physicians, Prof. Hagai Levin, strongly criticizes the date of the submission of the report and the Ministry of Health's handling of the matter: "The report of the Minister of Health on smoking indicates severe neglect of the fight against the harms of smoking.
The lack of political commitment to protecting public health stands out, as is also reflected in the absence of a functioning health minister.
The report completely misses the opportunity to contribute to the promotion of tobacco control policy, when it is published considerably late, at an unfortunate time, without current data, without contacting the media, without a presentation in the Knesset and without practical recommendations.
"Approximately 8,000 people die in Israel every year from smoking, and the government's inaction on the issue ensures that this tragedy will continue in the years to come. Warnings with pictures on cigarette packs, an effective policy at no cost that is implemented in about 120 countries, will make it possible to illustrate the harms of smoking to the public and the government. Even the issue of quitting smoking Abandoned and today there is no adequate medical response for the weaned."
In Arab society, people smoke more
According to the data referring to the year 2020, one out of every five Israeli adults smokes.
(20.1%).
The smoking rate among men stands at 25.6% while among women 14.8%.
The rate of smoking in Arab society is higher than in Jewish society (24.4% compared to 19.1%).
The group with the highest smoking rate are Arab men (38.2%), followed by Jewish men (22.6%), Jewish women (15.8%) and Arab women (10.2%).
1.6% of the adult population uses an electronic cigarette, but from data presented by the Ministry of Health just last week in the Knesset, much more difficult data emerges according to which 10% of 10th grade students use an electronic cigarette.
rolling tobacco.
The expense is increasing, photo: Yehoshua Yosef
The data concerning the smoking of teenagers that appear in the report are also not updated and correct for 2019. According to them, about 15% of the students have ever tried smoking cigarettes and about 25% have tried smoking hookah.
Almost a quarter of the recruits for the IDF (23.7%) smoke. Among female recruits - 14.5% smoke.
Since 2010, treatment and workshops for smoking cessation are included in the medicine basket.
In 2021, a record number of 32,303 smokers were helped by the rehab services.
A 270% increase from 2010.
Alongside these there is a call center of the Ministry of Health for smoking cessation that has helped about 3,000 quitters.
The report also shows that smokers in Israel spent over NIS 10 billion in 2021 on tobacco and smoking products - cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and rolling tobacco. More than 80% of the expenditure is taxation that goes back to the state coffers.
The Minister of Health and the professionals in the ministry are obliged to report on meetings with representatives of tobacco companies.
The report shows that in the whole of 2021 there were no such meetings.
Minister Yoav Ben Tzur.
"Exposure of teenagers to electronic cigarettes - a worrying phenomenon",
One of the severe consequences of smoking is lung cancer.
About 70% of lung cancer cases are in smokers or ex-smokers.
But most patients (85%) are discovered at a late stage.
These days an experimental program (pilot) is being launched for the early detection of lung cancer using a low-power CT scan intended for long-term smokers.
As part of the program, 10,000 subjects will be recruited who will be offered to perform the tests.
In June 2022, the phase of summoning patients to the pilot clinics began.
According to the Minister of Health, Yoav Ben Tzur: "We are witnessing an increase in the exposure of teenagers to electronic cigarettes.
This is a very worrisome phenomenon and the Ministry of Health together with the relevant parties are promoting steps to reduce it... The report presents significant data on exposure to second-hand smoke among the population. The proportion of adults and children exposed to second-hand smoke is high and very noticeable among disadvantaged populations. We must continue to fight this phenomenon until it is eradicated ".
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