13.10.2026 16:36
Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu, regarding the new regulatory effort on the use of tobacco and tobacco products, said, "When selling cigarettes to our people, we will especially carry out age verification for our young people—that is, we will ask their age. It has nothing to do with anyone's private privacy. We are only trying to prevent the sale of this harmful substance to our people, our children, and our youth through a method that will prevent cigarettes from being sold to those under 18."
Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu visited MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli at his office in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. After a meeting lasting about half an hour, Memişoğlu answered journalists' questions about the new regulatory work on the sale of tobacco and tobacco products.
Pointing out that the main duty of their ministry is to ensure a healthy life and treat diseases, Memişoğlu drew attention to diseases such as heart attack and cancer caused by tobacco and tobacco products. Memişoğlu spoke as follows:
“Today we lose 63 percent of our people to cancer or such diseases. That is why we want people to live healthily and stay healthy. Of course, we also want our smoking citizens to get rid of this habit. A study conducted by Yeşilay today showed that 80 percent of smokers try to quit smoking. In fact, smokers themselves are not happy with smoking. We say, come on, let's quit together. Let's fight smoking all together. Because it gives you cancer, increases the risk of heart attack, causes shortness of breath, and disrupts your sleep quality. It is harmful. Therefore, in this matter, as Turkey, we actually achieved great success in 2008-2010. But gradually, in recent years, this success has unfortunately declined. We are trying to revive it again.”
“WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A COUNTRY RANKED SECOND IN THE WORLD, WITH 33 PERCENT SMOKING IN TURKEY”
Noting that they are trying to keep cigarettes especially away from young people and children, Memişoğlu stated that they are trying to free the country from cigarettes being visible and being perceived as if they were a natural substance. Memişoğlu continued his speech as follows:
“Currently, 33 percent in Turkey smoke. In fact, 67 percent of our country does not smoke. But 33 percent means we are talking about a country that ranks second in the world in smoking. Unfortunately, in lung cancer, especially among men, we are first in the world. This means that smoking makes our people sick and unhealthy. Then we must all fight against smoking together.
Now, normally, according to our tobacco law, the sale of cigarettes to young people under the age of 18 is currently prohibited. A survey was conducted, 220,000 young people were asked, and 73.3 percent of those aged 13-15 can easily buy cigarettes. Do you know what the average age of starting smoking in Turkey is? The average is 17. In smoking addiction in Turkey, 57 percent of our young people start at age 17, under the age of 18. In other words, our average age of starting smoking in Turkey is unfortunately under 18. Now, selling cigarettes to those under 18 is normally prohibited. We are also working on this in our draft law. This has nothing to do with personal data or exposing people.
“WE WILL VERIFY AGE WHEN SELLING CIGARETTES”
As there are examples in the world, in many countries, in developed countries, when selling to our people, especially to our young people, we will verify age, that is, we will ask their age. How and by what method will we do this age verification? Perhaps just like we did with Covid, through HES or via QR code or in another way... We are looking at examples from around the world. I want people to be absolutely sure of this: it is something that has nothing to do with anyone's private privacy. We are only trying to prevent the sale of this harmful substance to our people, children, and young people through a method that will prevent cigarettes from being sold to those under 18. Selling cigarettes to those under 18 is normally currently prohibited. We are working on how to truly make the ban effective.
Therefore, let me tell you this too: Today, the money spent on cigarettes in Turkey is only 15 billion dollars a year for cigarette packs. When you examine its other effects, unfortunately this country spends around 25-30 billion dollars on cigarettes. Our people spend it. 30 billion dollars. In other words, today we give one third of our spending in the earthquake region to cigarettes every year. Therefore, we are fighting a system that exploits us both in terms of human health and economically. We will continue to fight. We expect everyone to support this. Not just the Ministry of Health, we expect the whole society to support this. We hold our meetings routinely with everyone. But not only for cigarettes. Today, we talk to everyone about sugar and nutrition as well. The owner of this issue is not only the Ministry of Health, but the whole society.”
OKTAY SARAL HAD REACTED
Presidential Chief Advisor Oktay Saral reacted to the preparation of a regulation announced by Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu that citizens would be asked for their Turkish ID number when buying cigarettes, saying, “Before taking decisions that will create question marks in citizens' minds and raise privacy concerns, they should be reconsidered once more. While our esteemed President is struggling with our country's issues on the one hand, he should not be forced to bear the burden of decisions that will draw the public's reaction on the other.” he had said.