In the recent past, smoking was a symbol of sophistication, sexuality, romance, and many other such attractive qualities. Today, this perception is still popular among young smokers. The cigarette serves the smoker, among other uses, as a means of reducing tension and anxiety, and of enhancing concentration.


Everyone knows how hazardous smoking can be, yet the real change in attitude towards cigarette smoking took place in 1988, with the declaration of the American Ministry of Health that tobacco products are addictive and dangerous. Today we know that smoking causes more deaths than road accidents, alcohol, homicides, suicides, addictive drugs, and AIDS put together.


In Israel alone there are 5,000 - 8,000 smoking related deaths each year. Of these, 10 % die as a result of passive smoking. These frightening figures, and the fact that people continue smoking, can be explained simply - smoking in an addictions