President Erdoğan: We will not allow our youth to be poisoned
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the "Meeting with Youth on the Anniversary of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Harmful Effects of Tobacco Products" program held at Dolmabahçe Palace.
Speaking at the program, Erdoğan said, "Our esteemed national athletes, the pioneers of the TEKNOFEST generation, dear young people, I greet you with love and affection. I am delighted to be with you on the anniversary of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Harms of Tobacco Products."
Through you, I send my greetings and love to all our young people living abroad and in our heartland, as well as in all 81 provinces. First and foremost, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you, my young brothers and sisters, who have achieved significant success in various branches of sports, science, and technology, and who proudly represent our country on the international stage. I congratulate each and every one of you for setting an example for our youth with your knowledge, your horizons, your achievements, and the values you embody.
"I extend my gratitude to all members of the initiative to protect children from the tobacco epidemic and its harmful effects, who have made it possible for us to come together. I especially hope that our meeting will be beneficial for our country and nation, especially for you, our young people, the architects of the Turkish Century," he said.
Providing information about the harmful effects of habits such as tobacco and alcohol, President Erdoğan said, "I would like to express this truth first and foremost: strong states undoubtedly consist of strong nations. One of the first conditions for being a strong nation is to have a healthy social structure. In this respect, it is our primary duty to save our nation, and especially our youth, from the clutches of harmful habits, especially tobacco and alcohol. Every year, approximately 8 million people worldwide lose their lives due to health problems caused by tobacco use. 1.3 million of these are people who are negatively affected by smoke and whom we call passive smokers. In other words, tobacco doesn't just affect users; it affects children, women, and all segments of society exposed to passive smoking. Every year, approximately 100,000 people in our country die at an early age due to diseases related to tobacco and tobacco products. Unfortunately, we are one of the most prominent countries in the world in combating tobacco products, which not only harm public health but also the environment, the economy, and our social fabric. With our legal regulations, inspections and sanctions, and support and awareness campaigns, we are doing our part in this effort." “We have made significant progress in this area,” he said.
President Erdoğan, speaking about the work being done on tobacco products, said, "We took a vital step by banning smoking in enclosed spaces with Law No. 4207, which we re-enacted in 2008. We implemented bans on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of tobacco products. We prevented cigarette packs from being too tempting with visuals, warnings, and a single color scheme."
Our active inspection teams are continuously conducting tobacco inspections across Turkey. Our Provincial Health Directorates have conducted over 42 million inspections to date. During cross-inspections in 2025, 3,718 violations were identified. Citizens quickly report violations to the Ministry of Health through the 184 SABİM hotline and mobile applications. We serve citizens who want to quit smoking through 671 smoking cessation clinics across the country, providing free medication support and nicotine treatment. To date, 3.8 million examinations have been conducted, and over 1.5 million citizens have benefited from treatment support.
Similarly, we are developing personalized quit-smoking plans through the ALO 171 Hotline. We strive to keep our youth away from tobacco with our public service announcements, social media campaigns, and education and awareness activities. This year, we reached over 188,000 citizens with the "Quit Smoking, Change Your Life" campaign we launched. We touched the lives of every single one of them. We will continue to work resolutely for a smoke-free Turkey. With all our institutions, administrations, universities, and civil society organizations like the Green Crescent, we will not allow our youth to be poisoned," he said.
Habertürk
