23.07.2025 11:47
Under the "Smoke-Free Turkey" initiative, the Ministry of Health has increased its inspections and imposed over 4,000 penalties in 2025. A warning was issued that individuals smoking in enclosed spaces would also be fined along with the businesses.
The General Director of Public Health of the Ministry of Health, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Emin Demirkol, stated regarding the cigarette inspections within the scope of the 'Smoke-Free Turkey' vision, "Our team, supported by our Security Directorate and law enforcement forces, is working intensively to eliminate passive exposure and violations of smoking in closed areas. In this context, only in the year 2025, 4,000 penalties were imposed during cross inspections. We would like to remind you that the more sensitive issue in this inspection is that penalties will now also be applied to the individual who smokes, meaning that individual penalties will be enforced alongside those for businesses," he said.
The General Director of Public Health of the Ministry of Health, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Emin Demirkol, made statements regarding the 'Smoke-Free Turkey' vision implemented by the Ministry of Health, saying, "One of the important stages of the progress we have made in the fight against tobacco under the leadership of our esteemed President. With the instructions of our Minister, Prof. Dr. Kemal Memişoğlu, we are embarking on a new journey with renewed excitement and motivation regarding 'Smoke-Free Turkey' as of this week. In this context, we will start to conduct our ongoing cross inspections, which we initiated in 2025, much more frequently. We are increasing our routine and complaint inspections in our provinces. As of yesterday, we are starting an active cross and routine inspection in all our provinces, especially in our three major cities, Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara, with the support of teams from neighboring provinces. In this context, the use of tobacco is prohibited in closed areas under our Tobacco Control Law No. 4207. There is a penalty for this. We will be on the field to ensure that the penalties are effectively enforced by our teams," he said.
"NEARLY 4,000 PENALTIES WERE IMPOSED IN 2025"
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Demirkol pointed out that nearly 1,000 teams are actively inspecting in three major cities as part of cigarette inspections, stating, "Our team, supported by our Security Directorate and law enforcement forces, is working intensively to eliminate passive exposure and violations of smoking in closed areas. In this context, only in the year 2025, 4,000 penalties were imposed during cross inspections. We would like to remind you that the more sensitive issue in this inspection is that penalties will now also be applied to the individual who smokes, meaning that individual penalties will be enforced alongside those for businesses. Additionally, as part of learning your ideal weight and living healthily, we measured the height and weight of nearly 10 million citizens on the streets. In this context, we opened a stand right next to it, and our informative activities regarding smoking continued effectively. There has been an 85% increase in applications to our smoking cessation clinics in this context. This indicates that our citizens want to quit smoking. They just want a support system, a structure that holds out a helping hand. In this context, we continue to work intensively to hold that hand tightly," he stated.
"OUR GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH NEARLY 1,000 SMOKING CESSATION CLINICS BY THE END OF THE YEAR"
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Demirkol stated that nearly 700 smoking cessation clinics have been established, saying, "In the last three months, nearly 150 smoking cessation clinics have been opened. Our goal is to establish nearly 1,000 smoking cessation clinics by the end of this year. In total, we want to provide smoking cessation clinics in all our healthy life centers, districts, and hospitals, at every healthcare facility our citizens visit, by certified smoking cessation specialists. We already have a free consultation and guidance line for quitting smoking at 171. The 171 line follows up by calling six times a year. We provide free smoking cessation medications. In this context, we conduct all our services and healthcare facilities free of charge. There is a strong interest from our citizens. In this context, we are also implementing an on-site smoking cessation policy and online smoking cessation counseling services. We will intensify our inspections to prevent smoking in both closed areas and institutions throughout Turkey. In every institution, a staff member authorized to impose penalties for smoking violations has been defined. We are renewing them. We will actively operate this with both primary and substitute members. We will apply our penalties to businesses and individuals in closed areas," he said.
"A GREAT PANDEMIC IS SMOKING"
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Demirkol emphasized that smoking causes the deaths of a total of 8 million people worldwide each year and that these deaths can be prevented, stating, "1.3 million people die each year worldwide solely due to passive exposure. In Turkey, nearly 100,000 of our citizens die each year due to smoking and smoking-related causes. This is a very large proportion. Smoking is a great pandemic that kills 100,000 people each year. Tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes and puff products, which are prohibited for sale, will also be closely monitored by law enforcement during these inspections, and if any violations are detected, they will be confiscated. We are expressing that a new mobilization has begun. We want a smoke-free Turkey. May our country's pristine air maintain its cleanliness and quality in a smoke-free manner," he said.