Singer Yizhar Cohen Credits Smoking for Avoiding Alcohol and Drugs

Israeli singer and actor Yizhar Cohen, best known for winning the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest with "Abanibi," revealed in a recent podcast interview that he believes smoking has significantly helped him throughout his life. Cohen, who represented Israel in Eurovision twice, stated on Guy Peleg's podcast, produced by All In podcast network, that his smoking habit may have prevented him from falling into alcoholism or hard drug use due to his intense, 24/7 lifestyle.

Cohen described living at a relentless pace, constantly moving from one project to the next without taking breaks. He explained that the stress of this lifestyle was immense, and the cigarette provided moments of calm, helping him avoid a heart attack. "I love to smoke and I have the right to smoke," he asserted.

When asked by Peleg if smoking affected his throat, Cohen confirmed it had. He recently underwent surgery for a growth on his vocal cord. While he acknowledged that many artists experience vocal cord issues, he wasn't sure if his growth was directly caused by smoking, noting it only occurred recently at his age. He mentioned that people had commented on his hoarseness being due to cigarettes, but it turned out to be a tumor.

Cohen has a daughter from a previous relationship with event producer Diana Tzarfati. He married in April 2025 after a 30-year relationship. Last year, Yizhar Cohen received a lifetime achievement award from AMI, alongside other artists like Sandra Sadeh, Moni Moshonov, and Yehuda Keiser.