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3 AdarI 5760 - February 9, 2000 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Fatal Results of Smoking: 10,000 Per Year in Israel

By N. Katzin

New statistics presented by a public committee for the examination of ways to restrict smoking and curb its damages indicate that as many as 25% of the deaths in Israel are caused by smoking. Approximately 10,000 people a year die as a result of smoking hazards. 1400 of these are passive smokers harmed by exposure to the smoking of others.

These statistics point to a situation far more serious than commonly assumed. Previous reports stated that 6000 people a year die in Israel as a result of smoking. The new statistics are based on information culled by the Health Minister, by the Central Bureau of Statistics and additional bodies.

Smoking is known to be a leading factor in lung and other types of cancer. Only 20% of those who died from the side effects of smoking, however, suffered from cancer. 74% of the active smokers and 50% of the passive ones suffered heart ailments, strokes and arterial illness. Additional deaths due to smoking are the results of illnesses in the respiratory organs and the lungs.

An additional shocking statistic: An average of 42 infants and 46 children under the age of a 15 are included among those dying as a result of passive smoking after having been exposed for long periods to cigarette smoking at home and at work. The deaths stemmed from mortality factors linked to smoking, such as crib death and low birth weight in infants.

Recent years' anti-smoking campaigns have succeeded in reducing rates of smoking in Israel. Since '94, 28% of the Jewish population (32% of the men) smoke, in comparison with the 42% in '70. On the other hand, an increase in the number of deaths linked to smoking has been noted.

Dr. Tuvia Lehrer of the Department for Health Education in the Health Ministry, who is responsible for the issue of smoking tobacco and its products, recently told Yated Ne'eman that a committee of experts presented a list of 23 recommendations to the public committee headed by Justice Eilon which examined ways to restrict smoking and to limit its hazards. Among the recommendations are a series of laws meant to curb the early stages of smoking among youth and warnings against the damages of passive smoking.

The committee recommended banning all advertisement of tobacco products and the granting of patronage by cigarette company advertising. It also recommended enlarging and emphasizing the warning appearing on cigarette boxes; enacting a law protecting children from smoking, to include prohibition of smoking near children at home and in cars. The committee also recommends enacting a health insurance differential, according to which smokers will pay more in accordance with their higher risk level.


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