New Tobacco Draft Law and Sales Restrictions from the Ministry of Health
The newly prepared tobacco draft law aims to ban smoking in parks, beaches, and sports areas, and to completely halt sales by the year 2040.
A comprehensive tobacco draft law prepared by the Ministry of Health envisions restricting smoking in open areas, removing product visibility, and banning sales starting from January 1, 2040.
Parliamentary Process and Schedule of the Draft
The draft prepared by the ministry is expected to be addressed in a meeting to be held at the Presidential Complex in the third or last week of this month. The AK Party Parliamentary Group aims to work on it in October, and for the regulation to be debated in the commission and the General Assembly in November.
Sales and Packaging Regulations
Tobacco products will be kept in closed cabinets that are not visible from the outside at sales points and will not be displayed directly. Age verification will be carried out using electronic systems during sales, and the use of brand logos on packages will be ended.
Smoking Bans in Open Areas
The use of tobacco products will be completely banned in open areas such as children's parks, sports areas, and beaches. Existing smoking restrictions around schools, hospitals, public buildings, and places of worship will also be expanded.
Dining and Hotel Rules
In food and beverage establishments, tobacco products may only be consumed in specially isolated areas that do not exceed 10 percent of the total size and are a maximum of 20 square meters, and no service will be provided in these sections. In hotels, special rooms will be created for smokers.
Smoke-Free Turkey Goal
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 banned starting from January 1, 2040.