A new study into smoking patterns in the IDF shows that the prevalence of smoking increases by 40% during compulsory military service.

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The IDF has been trying for years to kick its reputation as a "school for smokers". Whereas in the past soldiers were encouraged to smoke, today things are very different. Dining areas, lecture halls, offices, canteens and other enclosed public areas are all designated as mandatory smoke-free areas, and soldiers caught smoking in them face disciplinary action. In addition, the army regularly disseminates anti-smoking information.

Despite these efforts, a large number of recruits who did not previously smoke acquire the habit while in the IDF.

IDF soldiers smoking (Photo: Shutterstock)

Combat units and former smokers have been identified by the study as high-risk factors in the reintroduction to smoking. Part of the reason may be that smoking makes it easier to stay alert when on reduced sleep schedule, as is often the case in combat units.

Prevalence of smoking was greater among men at discharge (40.3%) than among women (32.4%), but the increase itself during service was similar.

The study, carried out at Tel Aviv University, systematically sampled around 30,000 soldiers from 1987 to 2011. It concluded that the prevalence of smoking changed from 26.2% at recruitment to 36.5% at discharge, constituting a 39.4% increase. On the other hand, 12% of smokers at recruitment notably quit smoking during service.

Dr. Laura Rosen, Chair of the Department of Health Promotion in the School of Public Health at Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine, one of the researchers told Tazpit Press Service (TPS) that tobacco is extremely addictive, "even more so than heroin."

"Once the habit is acquired, quitting is not easy, and as a result, starting to smoke while in the army can easily become a lifelong habit with potentially severe consequences, given the proven links between smoking and life-threatening diseases." said Rosen. Between 50% to 65% of smokers die prematurely from smoking-related causes, and Dr. Rosen hinted that the number might actually be closer to 67%.

"The IDF is a much more controlled environment than civilian life", told Rosen. "This means that the army has a lot of tools at their disposal to discourage and reduce smoking if it wants to."

The study proposes the creation of a central tobacco control monitoring body with comprehensive tobacco control policy, like in the US, to both protect the soldiers and to improve performance in combat units.