Smokers do not understand how much they stink up the air for everybody else. There is nothing worse than walking through a foul, choking cloud, which lingers even after the smoker has finished inhaling the cancer stick. What is worse, the stench clings to their clothes, their hands, and on their foul stinking breath.

smoking IS HARMFUL, and was PROVEN by MEDECINE. so plz play a DIFF music. thanx.

I have no idea how it's possible, but the author managed to get everything wrong. First of all, even with the terrorist acts, Israeli cities are very safe, not as the author implies. Smoking is indeed one of the major causes of death in this country, not only to smokers but also to those around them, and especially their children if they smoke at home. Many things are stressful in life, them's the breaks. Smokers hurt not only themselves, but everyone around them. We should not blame them collectively, because most of them started due to peer pressure, and are genuinely trying to quit. However, smoking should not be encouraged as the author seems to imply, but instead discouraged by any means. Even if smokers only hurt themselves, it's still the job of our leadership (among other things) to protect people from themselves. Otherwise we would freely let people commit suicide, especially in jails, and consume any kind of narcotics they want. So Mr. Sarna, please cut out the BS.

There is only one place for smoking--in a smoker's home with the window closed.

This article is a step back for all of mankind. Smokers not only harm everyone around them (the air can reach toxic levels at any one of the bars in TA that allows smoking) they are putting a financial strain on our economy. Yigal must have written this article while he was smoking something else in his room! This article actually makes me sick.

Life for non-smokers would be less stressful and dangerous if smoking would be curtailed in public places. A smoker might be smoking outdoors, but that cloud of smoke is still hovering in the air where I must walk. I don't want to share in the smoker's habit - why should I be forced to? People will always find a reason to smoke if they want to - a stressful life is not a good enough reason. Perhaps the smoker's life will become more pleasant without the harmful chemicals poisoning his / her body and without the added cost of paying for such a disgusting habit. Israel should join other Western countries in their quest to protect their citizens from exposure to cancer sticks. Kol HaKavod to the Knesset!

smokers harm not just themselves, but they spew their smoke into the air that others have to breathe---and they litter the ground --and Israeli smokers like to litter the floors--with their cigarette butts. If they only took some drug that hurt only themwelves--I'd say "Right on!"

Wow, what is this guy saying. If something is bad, the government should help stop it. If people die from smoking, make it harder to smoke. If people die in car accidents, make it harder to drive recklessly. If people die in terror attacks, make it harder for terrorists to commit terror attacks. This is the job of the government. Not to say "well there are other dangerous things in life, so lets just not do anything to help this one." All the other countries in the world are addressing the issue of smoking, it is time Israel does the same.

Only if the smoker lives alone and not in an apartment where people in other units can be affected. If there are other, non-smoking people living in the house, then the smoker should GO OUTSIDE THE HOUSE into the back yard. And no smoking in the garage either because that stinks up the non-smoking person's nice new car.

People can smoke while not affecting others. Second hand smoke can be harmful and we expect the smokers not to do harm. Since some of the smokers are inconsiderate, it is necessary to pass laws protecting the general public. Religion can be harmful no less than second hand smoke. It can cause me a mental breakdown due to disgust and I can die from it. The effect is the same as from cancer when a smoker blows harmful nicotine into my lungs. Pass laws protecting non-religious people from the harm of religion. Religious people are inconsiderate of my feelings when they restrict traffic on certain days of the week, when they tell women to ride in the back of buses, when they deny education to Ethipian girls, and much more. The behavior in line with religion will be OK in isolated spaces where those who pray can neither be heard nor seen. Otherwise, it ought to be banned along with smoking in public..

I don"t believe the author was trying to advocate smoking. I think he used the topic to bring out the myriad of emergent issues we have in Israel and was cynically poking fun at the government. If you haven't got wind of it yet, we are iin a crisis of unprecedented difficulty So I am sure the MK (who is likely to be a smoker), would much rather spent a few hours debating something light, less stressfull-you know, like taking a cigarette break,

When NYC banned smoking in many places a direct easily measurable change in morbidity and mortality resulted. These studies have been replicated throughout the US. Take home point: Banning smoking is perhaps the most cost efficient and effective measure in public health.

We should not go down the European direction where smokers are treated like virtual criminals but we should tighten up the laws. Ban smoking in schools and all public buildings, In bus stops and train platforms leave the smokers alone its something that can't be enforced anyway and nobody will even try so why waste time with legislation which will never be enforced. When it comes to private institutions like restruants as long as it says on the door we allow smoking then the market will decide and people will either choose to eat there or not. The government doesn't need to save the non smokers from themselves. Don't treat non smokers as little children and force them to make some decisions themselves. Money will always talk louder than legislation so if people don't go out and eat in certain places etc because smoking is allowed then the owners will soon ban it because they want to attract non smokers. Increase taxes and ban advertising in certain places or certain styles of advertising where smoking is made to look cool. Stop children buying cigarettes something thats very easy to do right now especially in the kiosks where you can buy cigarettes individually for a shekel. A very large percentage of the population smokes and so we have to consider them as well when making anti smoking legislation so lets be realistic and find a compromise that both sides can accept.

Actually this writer is quite wrong. Smoking is not only a health threat, but it is morally wrong, too. Tobacco should be banned, as, indeed, should alcohol, and the purveyors and users of these two dangerous drugs should be punished severely, as are (or should be) suppliers and users of other drugs.

Is close to LICKING AN ASHTRAY....

Geez- I didn''t know you had this problem in California too. Also I would like to wear my hair out, but my father said I cannot as it will bring shame to the family. Also in California I KNOW you can date and marry ANYONE you want. This is good.

If people want to self-harm,that's regrettable but is a private matter.But what none have is the right to harm others and when they do it becomes a public matter. I'm amazed that Mr Sarna cannot see that smokers infringe the human rights of innocent people;the right to clean air and the right to an environment that does not endanger health are just two of them compromised by smokers. Israel is a WESTERN orientated country and if it wants to remain one,it had better bring itself into line with current western thinking on smoking.That thinking is,rightly,NEGATIVE. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

I think this is the first article that i agree with almost all of the talk backs. It is really hard to find a topic that in a country like Israel where everyone has their own opinion come together like this. There are just too many faults to point out here and i think the best judge of smoking really comes from the ex-smokers who understand the physical and physiological addiction.

Smoking shuld be banned in public places, visiting israel is likebeing in an ashtray, disgusting. So what living in israel is dangerous so you want to keep it as dangerous as possible? Stupid hippie, worst than american hippies

....especially if,like me,he has seen a good neighbour dying a lingering death from lung cancer caused by his own actions. It's horrible and a waste of good lives of people who have been seduced into a dangerous addiction. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

Smoking is a bad habit that makes you unhealthy, eats your wallet and makes you smell bad. However, that is an individual choice that should be left to the smoker. Of course one must take into account the dangers of second-hand smoke and the adverse health effects on those who did not actually consume the product, but that is best handled through individual choice on where people choose to associate. If you want to be in a bar or public place where smoking is restricted or outright banned, then by all means go to those places. The same goes for smokers. The main thing here is to remember that smoking is bad, but we can all behave in a manner becoming of adults on this issue.

from growing up in a home with parents who were chain smokers, my lungs were damaged even though I was not a smoker myself. Why not fill the house and air and businesses and other places wtih holy smoke instead of tobacco smoke? It is much healthier and brings a blessing instead of the curse of illness and cancer and circulatory problems. Children who grow up in homes that have yellow walls from the tobacco smoke who have parents with yellow teeth and yellow fingers and skin cancer spots on their lips tha keeps coming back after being burned off again and again with liquid nitrogen by a physician have littel desire to live that way all their lives. Smoking is the last thing I would be interested in.

Why should my neighbor stand in the hallway between our apartments and smoke? I do not need to smell his cigarettes! Or the guy that I take over from at work. I do not need the room filled with second hand smoke. The computer and desk covered with third hand smoke. I stopped smoking 22 years ago. And it was easy to stop.I do not need animals coming up to me with a cigarette in their mouths and blowing smoke in my direction. All cigarette smokers should be told they will not be treated for any diseases related to smoking.That should be the law and stiffer fines for smoking in public.As well as places of work.

Tonight I sat on a train station platform and second hand smoked more than I can ever remember in my life. I watched as a religious man bummed a cigarette from a 13 year old boy. I dont know much about the legislation that is being pursued but I know this, it is time for a moral gut check when adults enable young teens to smoke because of "nerves". Cigarettes are not the answer and do not provide the peace Israeli's need and are looking for. Dont use the middle east conflict to justify that which is dangerous. At least protect the children.

It runs a huge cost on the healthcare system. Why am I paying for the damage that you have chosen to do to yourself?

All governments are hypocrites, they will collect TAXES and not ban the product. They need the money for all other activities and this is a sure way of collecting TAX. It is almost the same as the rational for antisemitism. When someone need to find an object or people to be blamed and/or hate for their misfortune, they always turn against the Jews. What they should do, if the product is so bad for society/public, BAN the product and stop selling it. Stop all that BS of when and where you can smoke.