And in this spirit, in parts of the Haredi community, it’s become accepted for children to try the adult habit of smoking. It’s widely seen as a quirky exception to the rules.
But a Health Ministry campaign is urging against the practice, as healthcare providers are running general anti-smoking campaigns tailored to the Haredi community, with the backing of rabbis who say the efforts are saving lives.
Advertisements placed by the ministry across the Haredi media cite research suggesting that one in ten children who smoke got addicted after their first cigarette.
Astonishing. All major poskim suggest that smoking is either forbidden or ought to be. They discuss what a dirty habit it is and how it should be avoided. And the community that claims to live and die by their psak give cigarettes to their kids?
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