Israel Introduces Graphic Health Warnings on Tobacco Packaging
Starting today, the Ministry of Health is mandating graphic health warnings on all smoking products in Israel, with these visuals covering 75% of the packaging surface.
Today, Sunday, the Ministry of Health is putting into effect the requirement for graphic health warnings on all smoking products in Israel. These visuals, which supplement existing text warnings, will now cover 75% of the packaging area.
The warnings illustrate the damage caused by smoking itself as well as the harm resulting from secondhand smoke. This move, led by the Ministry of Health as part of regulations restricting the advertising and marketing of tobacco products, aligns Israel with approximately 140 countries worldwide that already mandate graphic health warnings.
The images were selected following a professional process that included public participation and consultation with experts in public health, communications, and trauma, ensuring they are both relevant and effective for the Israeli population.
Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Moshe Bar Siman-Tov, stated:
"Preventing smoking and its damages is a top priority for the Ministry. These regulations are an important step in the fight against smoking, and we will continue to act with all tools at our disposal to protect public health."
Head of the Public Health Division, Prof. Sigal Sadetsky, added:
"Smoking is one of the most significant risk factors for public health. This measure has been proven in global studies to reduce smoking rates, and we hope to see its effects in Israel soon."
In the last two months alone, there has been a meteoric rise of over 800% in inquiries to the Ministry of Health's National Smoking Cessation Hotline, alongside a parallel increase in demand for cessation services provided by health funds.
This shift in consciousness is a necessary response to one of the greatest threats to our health. Smoking is currently considered the primary preventable risk factor, responsible for nearly half of all premature deaths globally, including cases of malignant diseases, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory illnesses.
