Attitudes towards anti-smoking legislation in Israel: A Jerusalem study

Background: With smoking on the rise among teenagers, the United States has recently implemented anti-smoking legislation, though with questionable success. Objectives: To examine the attitudes in Israel to such legislation. Methods: An interviewer-administered questionnaire was completed by 505 adults: 217 undergoing general employment checkups and 288 amateur athletes requiring medical testing for certification. Smoking habits and attitudes toward anti-smoking legislation were examined. Results: The overall rate of smoking was 25.3%, with a male:female ratio of 1:24 (P=0.232). Most smokers (65.6%) started smoking before the age of 20, and only 47.7% tried to quit at least once. Both the smokers and the non-smokers who were interviewed were in favor of legislation that recognized cigarettes as an addictive substance, restricted the sale of cigarettes to people aged 18 and older, and banned cigarette advertisements. Conclusions: Anti-smoking legislation is looked upon favorably by Israelis, though the true benefit of such measures is questionable. Priority must be given to primary prevention through education and empowering youth to choose not to smoke.