Turkey world leader in implementing WHO anti-tobacco measures, report says

Turkey is the leading country in terms of implementing the anti-tobacco measures suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO), a report published by the global body said Saturday.

The new WHO report shows many countries are still not adequately implementing policies, including helping people quit tobacco.

Turkey has successfully implemented the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the report said, urging other countries to follow the country's example.

Around 8 million people lose their lives as a result of health complications associated with smoking, the report said, noting that countries need to boost preventative measures and increase the prices of tobacco products.

Turkey is one of the leaders in fighting tobacco addiction with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan leading by example. He has a habit of talking smokers into quitting and once they agree, taking their cigarette packs.

In September 2016, he convinced then-Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov to quit smoking at the NATO Summit in Poland's capital.

The Turkish Health Ministry has developed a mobile application, dubbed as "Green Detector." It allows people to instantly alert authorities of businesses defying the indoor no-smoking policy.

"More than 273,000 people have downloaded the app and nearly 150,000 people have notified the Health Ministry so far," Öztürk said.

He warned youngsters against the use of e-cigarettes which he said are "as harmful as cigarette, hookah and pipe".

Nebi Mismis, a supervisor in a busy cafe in the Cebeci district of capital Ankara said the Green Detector is "really unforgiving."

He said his cafe had paid fines at least four times and even closed down for a week.