Türkiye’s Health Ministry is finalizing draft regulations that would restrict the visibility of tobacco products in shops and expand smoking bans in public spaces, including parks, gardens, and playgrounds, as part of efforts to reduce tobacco use and limit children’s exposure. According to local reports, cigarettes would no longer be displayed behind cash registers, and the draft also includes updates to indoor smoking laws and measures addressing electronic cigarettes and other newer tobacco products. Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu said the proposal, which also calls for expanded smoking cessation services, will soon be submitted to parliament. Türkiye already enforces broad smoke-free laws, plain packaging, and advertising bans, though more than a quarter of the population still smokes.
Tag: Kemal Memişoğlu
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Türkiye Looking to Increase Smoking Controls
Türkiye plans to further tighten its already strict tobacco control regime, with Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu saying legislative work to expand smoking bans in enclosed spaces is nearing completion and expected to reach parliament soon. Memişoğlu said the measures aim to strengthen the fight against tobacco addiction by reinforcing smoke-free environments while scaling up smoking cessation clinics and mobile outreach teams nationwide. The move builds on Türkiye’s long-standing controls, including comprehensive indoor smoking bans, plain packaging, advertising prohibitions, and e-cigarette restrictions, as smoking rates remain above a quarter of the population despite years of enforcement.