Turkey is preparing to introduce a system for the sale of tobacco products only upon presentation of an ID card. This was announced by Turkey's Deputy Minister of Health, Shuayip Birinci, quoted by the website "Economim" and BTA.
In his speech during a medical congress, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Birinci commented on the current trends in the use of tobacco products in the country, which, according to him, necessitate the introduction of the new system.
The measure aims to limit minors' access to tobacco products and reduce their use overall.
According to the data presented by the deputy minister, Turkey currently ranks second in the world - after Indonesia - in the ranking of the most smoking countries, with its citizens smoking an average of 17 cigarettes per day.
According to Birinci, by 2025, the expenses of Turkish households on tobacco products will amount to 15 billion Turkish liras per year (283.4 million euros), and the damage from fires caused by unextinguished cigarette butts is estimated at 4 billion Turkish liras (75 million euros).
"Despite "With all these negative aspects, tobacco use continues to increase," Birinci noted, emphasizing that trends show a significant increase in tobacco use among young people. He said that low cigarette prices in Turkey also contribute to the negative trend.