Commentary on a smoke-free medical campus in Jerusalem: data for action

Over the past 30 years, Israel has made great progress in attitudes and practices about smoking; probably nothing else has contributed more to the health of its population. Yet, a recent survey about a non-smoking ban at an Israeli health sciences campus found incomplete enforcement. In addition, smoking rates among health sciences students, though lower than the general population, were higher than might be expected based on rates in other developed countries. Whether the ban is—as the authors speculate—“an intrusive life style intervention” or a justifiable public health intervention, cuts to the heart of the history of tobacco control efforts and their opposition by the tobacco industry. Despite concerns that the Israeli population is not ready to accept smoke-free bans, experience in other countries suggests otherwise.