Turkey Health Minister warns of rising youth smoking rates

Turkish Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu has identified tobacco use as a critical public health crisis, noting that the average age for starting smoking in Turkey is 17. According to data presented at a Turkish Parliamentarians Union program, approximately 30% of the 7.5 million youth aged 13 to 17 are smokers, totaling 2.5 million individuals.

In 2025, 8.5 billion packs of cigarettes were sold in Turkey, with annual spending on tobacco reaching $15 billion. To combat these issues, the government is preparing new regulations, including creating designated smoking areas in outdoor sections of cafes and restaurants, and increasing administrative fines for violations.

Beyond tobacco, Memişoğlu identified obesity, drugs, behavioral addictions, and low fertility rates as Turkey's five primary health challenges. He also highlighted improvements in the national health infrastructure, noting that the number of hospitals has increased to 1,526 and the healthcare workforce has grown to 1.5 million. Additionally, the Minister reported that family physicians successfully diagnosed 8,000 cancer cases in the past year before clinical symptoms appeared.