If Not Health, Then Money: Many Israelis Consider Quitting Smoking

The World Health Organization has published clear and alarming data. According to these statistics, hundreds of thousands of children worldwide die before the age of five due to exposure to passive smoking. Children who survive past this age but are exposed to smoking are at increased risk of developing COPD — Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease — in adulthood. The World Health Organization's data indicates that each year 8 million people worldwide die from active smoking and an additional million from passive smoking. The implication is that every 4 seconds, one person dies as a result of smoking.

What will make people stop smoking? Various campaigns have been conducted over the years regarding the dangers of smoking, but their impact is limited. A new study by Ipsos Institute surveyed 506 individuals aged 18 and over, revealing that many smokers intend to quit due to the recent price hikes on cigarettes and rolling tobacco. 50% of participants aged 25-34 are considering quitting smoking because of the rising costs, as are 46% of young people aged 18-24.

New campaigns are aimed at raising public awareness that electronic cigarettes are also hazardous to health, contrary to their marketing. Additionally, while the harm of regular smoking is well-known, the extent of damage caused by electronic cigarettes is still unclear. It is important to note that the risk is particularly high for those under 25, due to the effects of nicotine on the brain, which has not yet completed its development.