Smoking Doubles Among Arab Girls in Israel Amidst Declining Male Rates
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
A new study indicates that regular smoking among Arab girls in Israel has more than doubled between 2024 and 2026, reaching 13%, while declining among boys to 29%. This trend has significantly narrowed the gender gap in smoking prevalence. Electronic cigarettes and hookahs are now the most popular products among young female smokers, whereas boys still prefer traditional cigarettes. Experts warn of the need for urgent intervention to curb the rising rates among girls.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Regular smoking among Arab girls in Israel more than doubled from 6% in 2024 to 13% in 2026.
- Smoking rates among Arab boys in Israel continued to decline, reaching 29% in 2026.
- The gender gap in smoking has narrowed, with 26% of boys and 12% of girls smoking in the last month in 2026.
- E-cigarettes and hookahs are now the leading smoking products among girls, while boys still prefer traditional cigarettes.
- Experts call for urgent intervention to address the rising smoking rates among girls before the trend becomes harder to control.
A recent study reveals a significant increase in regular smoking among Arab girls in Israel, with rates more than doubling over two years, while smoking continues to decline among Arab boys. The study, conducted by NASS for a smoking cessation project, found that regular smoking among girls rose from 6% in 2024 to 13% in 2026, with daily smoking increasing from 1% to 4% in the same period. Conversely, regular smoking among boys dropped from 46% in 2022 to 29% in 2026, and daily smoking fell from 26% to 17%.
These contrasting trends have narrowed the gender gap in smoking. In 2022, 49% of boys reported smoking in the last month compared to 11% of girls. By 2026, this gap had reduced to just over double, with 26% of boys and 12% of girls reporting smoking in the past month, although this figure for girls was down from 19% in 2024.
Electronic cigarettes and hookahs are now the preferred smoking products among girls, unlike boys who still favor traditional cigarettes. In 2026, 42% of smoking girls cited e-cigarettes as their primary product, followed by 40% for hookahs, and 15% for cigarettes. Among boys, 43% preferred cigarettes, 28% hookahs, and 24% e-cigarettes. Hookah use among girls saw a notable rise, with regular use increasing from 6% in 2024 to 11% in 2026, and daily use doubling from 1% to 4% in the same timeframe. Over four years, the proportion of girls who had ever tried a hookah increased from 12% to 20%, while those who had tried e-cigarettes doubled from 7% to 14%. For girls, hookahs were the most common first smoked product (53%), compared to e-cigarettes (27%), while boys most often started with traditional cigarettes.
Dr. Amal Khiyat, Director of the Arab Society Field at the Initiative to Eliminate Smoking, described the findings as both concerning and encouraging. She noted that the continued decline in smoking among boys demonstrates the possibility of changing habits but stressed that the rise among girls requires immediate intervention before the phenomenon becomes more entrenched and harder to combat. Khiyat emphasized that addressing smoking requires considering the specific needs of the Arab community and involving political and professional leaders in policy-making.
