On August 21, according to the news media walla news, Israel plans to strengthen the control of tobacco and electronic cigarettes in order to reduce the harm of smoking. The proposed policies include taxing e-cigarettes, banning added flavors, and raising the sales age to 21.
Through these initiatives, the Israeli Ministry of Health hopes to reduce the risks of traditional burning tobacco and e-cigarettes. The move is supported by civil society, but some tobacco and e-cigarette industry groups have raised concerns about certain requirements in the policy.
The Ministry of Health will take a number of measures, from taxation and banning flavor additions to raising the age of sale, to reduce the harm of tobacco and e-cigarettes. The plan would also mandate that warning graphics appear on all tobacco and e-cigarette products, as well as adjust the consistency of packaging.
The ministry of Health hopes this will reduce the number of smokers and make tobacco products less attractive to young people. They believe that taxes on e-cigarettes and raising the age of sale are key to achieving this goal.
However, tobacco and e-cigarette manufacturers are opposed to these policies. They are concerned that these measures could adversely affect business and may even lead to job losses.
The Ministry of Health noted that the use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes can lead to serious health risks, especially for children and adolescents. The Ministry of Health said it would continue efforts to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking and e-cigarettes in order to reduce smoking behavior.
The Ministry of Health has set up an action group to promote the implementation of these measures. The team will work with government agencies and parties to ensure the effective implementation of these controls.