New Tobacco Draft from the Ministry of Health: Packs Becoming Plain
The Ministry of Health has prepared a new legislative draft containing restrictions on cigarettes and tobacco products; the goal is a smoke-free Turkey by 2040.
The new legislative draft prepared by the Ministry of Health, containing radical restrictions on cigarettes and tobacco products, will be addressed at the Presidential Complex. The regulation aims to transform Turkey into a completely smoke-free country by January 1, 2040.
Parliamentary Calendar and Planning
The draft is projected to be discussed at the meeting planned to be held at the Presidential Complex in the third or last week of this month. The AK Party TBMM Group will work on the draft prepared by the Ministry in October.
The regulation is targeted to be discussed first in the TBMM Health Commission in November, and then in the General Assembly.
Points of Sale and Plain Packaging
According to the draft, cigarettes and other tobacco products will be kept in closed cabinets at points of sale where they cannot be seen from the outside. Products will not be allowed to be displayed in a way that consumers can see them directly.
Age verification will be made via an electronic system during sales transactions. The sizes and shapes of cigarette packs will be standardized, and brand logos and symbols will not be used on the packs.
New Bans in Open Areas
The draft will also reorganize the scope of open areas where cigarette consumption is permitted, banning smoking in open areas such as children's parks, sports areas, and beaches.
In food and beverage establishments, tobacco products may only be consumed in specially designated isolated areas, and these areas will not exceed 10 percent of the total size of the establishment.
Environment and Long-Term Goal
Smoking restrictions applied around schools, hospitals, public buildings, and places of worship will be expanded, and new distance rules will be applied at the entrances of these structures.
In line with the long-term smoke-free Turkey goal included in the draft, the sale or offering of tobacco products to others for consumption purposes will be prohibited starting from January 1, 2040.