Turkey now ranks second in the world for tobacco use, with one in three adults smoking and more than 100,000 citizens dying from tobacco-related causes each year. Turkish Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu detailed the statistics during hospital opening ceremonies in Zonguldak and Düzce, identifying tobacco addiction as a primary threat to national health.
According to Memişoğlu, Turkey also leads the world in lung cancer incidence among men. The health crisis starts early: more than half of Turkish tobacco users pick up the habit before turning 18. Furthermore, 73.3% of teenagers aged 13 to 15 purchase cigarettes directly from retailers without facing mandatory age verification.
To halt sales to minors, Memişoğlu called for the implementation of an electronic age-verification system at retail checkouts, citing survey data showing that 90% of Turkish citizens support the measure. He also directed warnings at newer nicotine products entering the market, specifically single-use disposable vapes known as “puffs.”
“These products are offered to our youth under different names and packaging,” Memişoğlu said. “Claims suggest they are less harmful, but these products carry serious health risks. We must not view any of them as a harmless habit.”
The minister reported that retail sales reached 150.5 billion factory-made cigarettes in 2024. Despite high consumption figures, surveys show that 80% of current smokers want to quit. To assist them, Turkey maintains 1,910 smoking cessation clinics, distributes doctor-prescribed cessation drugs free of charge, and operates the round-the-clock ALO 171 telephone consultation service.
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