Deputy Minister of Health Şuayıp Birinci stated that they plan to approach the fight against tobacco and tobacco products with a new and stronger understanding, adding, "We need to revise our approaches in the fight against tobacco."
Birinci made a statement regarding the Ministry's new roadmap in the fight against tobacco. He pointed out that the starting age for tobacco use in Türkiye has dropped to 13-15 years old and emphasized that the sector is making efforts to encourage youth to use these products to increase their frequency of use.
Birinci mentioned that in the past, there was a great struggle to prevent tobacco use, but now there have been significant changes in policies aimed at getting people to use tobacco and tobacco products.
"We believe that passive smokers are harmed more," Birinci said. He also pointed out that "concepts like smokeless tobacco, devices, and e-cigarettes are being presented as harmless, creating perceptions that they are less harmful or harmless, which is causing youth to use them."
Birinci stated that there have been changes in methods in many areas around the world and that there is a need for policy changes in the fight against tobacco as well.
He explained that the sector is trying to commercially benefit from the advantages brought by technology and that there is significant disinformation. He also highlighted the serious issues of passive smoking, particularly in cities, saying, "We believe that passive smokers are harmed more with tobacco products."
"Chronic diseases caused by tobacco use have a significant burden," Birinci emphasized, noting that Türkiye faces not only tobacco-related health issues but also serious chronic diseases related to obesity and other conditions. He added, "Right now, the burden of chronic diseases caused by tobacco use is very high."
