<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">"Hence, if the poor person is a heavy smoker he should be taught to quit smoking<br>and save the money (in addition to health benefits). However, this should be<br>done gradually and not overnight."<div><br></div><div>I have seen very frum smokers who claim that they are addicted and cannot stop.</div><div>Then, like magic, as soon as Shabbos arrives, they put down the cigarettes (which, of course, are also muktzeh) and until</div><div>havdalah, they don't take a puff. If they were so addicted, how is it that they could immediately stop for 25+ hours.</div><div>In addition, many poskim have ruled that smoking is definitely an aveirah. In fact, if one's parent asks a child to bring him </div><div>(or her) some cigarettes, the child must politely decline (<i>Ish imo v'aviv tira'u v'es shabsosai tishmoru; Ani HaShem Elokeichem)</i>. </div><div>[I find it interesting that following "<i>Ish imo</i>" is "<i>Al tifnu el ha'e-li-lim</i>". The <i>elilim</i> can be a metaphor for cigarettes].</div><div><br></div><div>ri</div></body></html>