Smoking doubles among Arab girls in two years
A new study conducted by the company "Nas" for the anti-smoking project reveals that the rate of regular smoking among Arab girls in Israel rose from 6% in 2024 to 13% in 2026, more than doubling, while among boys it continued to decline from 46% in 2022 to 29% in 2026.
A new study conducted by the company "Nas" for the anti-smoking project reveals a notable shift in smoking patterns among youth in the Arab community in Israel, with regular smoking rates among girls rising sharply over the past two years, while continuing to decline among boys. The study showed that regular smoking among girls increased from 6% in 2024 to 13% in 2026, more than doubling, after being 10% in 2022. The proportion of girls who smoke daily also rose from 1% in 2024 to 4% in 2026. In contrast, smoking rates among boys continued to fall, with regular smoking dropping from 46% in 2022 to 33% in 2024, and further to 29% in 2026. Daily smoking among boys declined from 26% in 2022 to 17% in 2026. These opposing trends have narrowed the gender gap significantly over the past four years. In 2022, 49% of boys reported smoking in the past month compared to 11% of girls, a gap of more than fourfold. By 2026, the gap had shrunk to just over double, with 26% of boys and 12% of girls reporting smoking. The results indicate that hookah and e-cigarettes are the most common forms of use among girls.