The fine for smokers taking a puff in public places is 1,000 shekels ($255) effective Wednesday, as government regulations continue to discourage cigarette smoking. Store owners will be subject to a 5,000 shekel fine ($1,275) for not enforcing no-smoking regulations, and restaurant and coffee house operators face a 1,290 shekel ($329) fine for putting out ashtrays in prohibited areas.
Knesset Members Gilad Erdan (Likud) and Yoel Hasson (Kadima) initiated the new fines. New legislation sponsored by the two MKs requires municipalities to publicize a 24-hour phone number for anyone wanting to register a complaint against smokers.
The number of adult smokers in Israel has fallen drastically to 23 per cent this year, approximately half the number reported two decades ago.