Turkey has designated the northern province of Artvin as a pilot “smoke-free city,” requiring all public institutions in the province to implement a comprehensive smoking ban. The initiative also provides free medications and enhanced hotline support for residents seeking to quit smoking, while strictly regulating e-cigarettes. This marks a further step in Turkey’s tobacco control efforts, building on the national smoking control law enacted in 2009. Additionally, the country launched the “Smoke-Free Turkey” national campaign in 2025. Data shows that the tobacco usage rate among individuals aged 15 and above in Turkey reaches 34.8%, with nearly 100,000 people dying annually from tobacco-related diseases.
Key Points:
- Pilot Measures: Public institutions in Artvin Province, Turkey, have implemented a comprehensive smoking ban, provide smoking cessation support, and strictly regulate e-cigarettes.
- Policy Background: The national tobacco control law was implemented in 2009, and the “Smoke-Free Turkey” national campaign was launched in 2025. The pilot experience is planned to be rolled out nationwide.
- Industry Perspective: The Turkish Anti-Smoking Association described the pilot as a “historic step for public health.”
- Tobacco Hazards: Causes approximately $20 billion in losses annually, accounting for nearly one-tenth of healthcare expenditures; 34.8% of the population aged 15 and older use tobacco, with nearly 100,000 deaths annually.
Turkey designates Artvin Province as a pilot “smoke-free city”
According to a report by Hurriyet Daily News on August 19, Turkey has designated the northern province of Artvin as a pilot region for its new “Smoke-Free City” project, part of a broader initiative to curb tobacco use and protect public health.
Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu stated that all public institutions in Artvin Province will implement a complete smoking ban, while also providing additional support for residents seeking to quit smoking, including free medications and a smoking cessation hotline.
Strictly control tobacco and e-cigarettes
He also noted that the project will impose strict regulations on disposable vapes.
Turkey first introduced national anti-smoking legislation in 2009, which banned smoking in enclosed spaces, including restaurants, cafes, and workplaces.
The government now aims to build on this framework to implement city-wide measures, which will later be expanded to other regions across the country.
Within this context, 2025 marks the 16th anniversary of the implementation of Turkey’s tobacco control law, and the Ministry of Health has launched a nationwide campaign themed “Smoke-Free Turkey.”
Professor Mustafa Aydın, President of the Turkish Anti-Smoking Association, welcomed this new “Smoke-Free City” initiative, calling it “a historic step in public health.”
Aydın noted that tobacco consumption costs Turkey approximately $20 billion annually, accounting for nearly one-tenth of total healthcare expenditures.
“Smoking is no longer a personal choice but a social crisis,” Aydın said, warning that tobacco addiction leads to heart disease, cancer, and chronic illnesses.
He emphasized that raising awareness and strengthening enforcement are key to reducing tobacco use — especially among teenagers, who are increasingly targeted by flavored e-cigarettes and online marketing.
Aydin noted that Altın, as the first “smoke-free city,” will serve as a model for other provinces.
- “If local authorities, civil society, and citizens act together, a smoke-free Turkey is not just a dream but an achievable goal.”
According to a 2023 study, 34.8% of the Turkish population aged 15 and older use tobacco products.
In Turkey alone, nearly 100,000 people die annually from tobacco-related diseases.
