Tel Aviv, June 4 -- One in five Israeli adults smokes, and the prevalence of smoking remains significantly higher than the global average, according to the Ministry of Health's annual report released Tuesday. The report paints a troubling picture of the smoking epidemic in Israel, particularly among youth and in the Arab population, and outlines the government's growing efforts to combat the ongoing public health crisis.

According to the 2024 Smoking Data Report, 20.5 per cent of Israelis smoke -- a rate 30 per cent higher than the global average. Compounding the problem, the rate of smoking cessation in Israel is 50 per cent lower than the OECD average. The use of electronic cigarettes among youth is particularly alarming, with more tha...