By: Dr. Emelia Hardak/Walla writing for The Jerusalem Post
Today most people know how harmful smoking is to health, and how important it is to avoid it. However, data from Maccabi Health Services show that the rate of smokers in Israel is still about 21.5%, which is ⅕ of the population. It’s estimated that smoking causes about 8000 deaths annually in Israel; 10% of these deaths result from passive smoking.
Smoking affects almost every organ and affects overall health, from general negative effects on the body to decreased immune function. Smoking causes about 90% of all lung cancer deaths, and it’s estimated that 85% of all lung cancer cases could be prevented if cigarette smoking was stopped. Smoking is also the leading cause of bladder and pancreatic cancer and cancers of the mouth and throat.
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