"Regulation on Ethyl Alcohol Consumption from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry"

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has made regulations to prevent the legal ethyl alcohol offered on the market from being involved in illegal alcohol and beverage trade.

The "Communiqué on the Procedures and Principles Regarding the Determination of the Market Supply, Purpose of Use, and Quantity of Ethyl Alcohol for Medical Use" prepared by the Ministry has been published in the Official Gazette and has come into force.

MEASURES AGAINST THE TRADE OF ETHYL ALCOHOL

With the communiqué, procedures and principles regarding the supply of ethyl alcohol for medical use to the domestic market, its purpose of use, area, quantity, and administrative sanctions to be applied to those who act contrary to the communiqué have been regulated, aiming to prevent the illegal trade of legally offered ethyl alcohol. Accordingly, health service providers belonging to public institutions and organizations will be able to purchase ethyl alcohol for medical use in quantities compatible with their activities.

INSTITUTIONS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPLY ETHYL ALCOHOL TO THE MARKET

Health service providers, animal health organizations, animal shelter care, rehabilitation, and treatment centers belonging to public institutions and organizations, as well as other health institutions deemed appropriate by the Tobacco and Alcohol Authority (TADAB), will not be able to offer the ethyl alcohol for medical use they purchase to the market, either for a fee or free of charge, and will not be able to use it outside the areas specified in the communiqué.

WHOLESALE SUPPLIERS HAVE A LIMIT OF 50 THOUSAND LITERS

Wholesale suppliers of ethyl alcohol will not be able to keep more than 50 thousand liters of ethyl alcohol for medical use in their stocks under any circumstances. As of today, wholesale suppliers who have more than 50 thousand liters of ethyl alcohol for medical use in their stocks will not be able to purchase new products as long as this amount does not fall below 50 thousand liters.

LIMITS HAVE ALSO BEEN IMPOSED ON PHARMACIES

Pharmacies, veterinary clinics, and polyclinics, except for those belonging to public institutions and organizations among the users of ethyl alcohol for medical use, will be able to supply 5 liters monthly, primary healthcare providers 10 liters, and animal hospitals 40 liters of ethyl alcohol for medical purposes. Secondary and tertiary healthcare providers will be able to purchase 1,000 and 2,000 liters of the said product annually. Applications from other healthcare institutions where the use of ethyl alcohol for medical purposes is mandatory and the quantities deemed appropriate will be evaluated by TADAB.

In case of a higher demand for ethyl alcohol from secondary and tertiary healthcare providers, they need to obtain a suitability letter from the Ministry of Health and submit it to TADAB. The regulation also imposes a record-keeping obligation regarding the quantities and areas of use for health service providers using ethyl alcohol for medical purposes, animal health organizations, and animal shelters, care, rehabilitation, and treatment centers belonging to public institutions and organizations. Administrative sanctions will be applied to those who act contrary to the provisions of the communiqué.