Turkey Health Minister reports 30% smoking rate among youth

Turkish Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu has identified significant public health challenges facing the country, specifically highlighting a rise in tobacco use among minors. During a meeting of the Parliamentary Friendship Groups, Memişoğlu stated that according to recent TÜİK research, 30% of the 7.5 million individuals aged 13 to 17 in Turkey are smokers. He noted that the average age for starting smoking in the population has reached 17, describing it as a “dramatic problem.”

Beyond tobacco, the Minister identified five primary health concerns for the nation: obesity, tobacco and bad habits, drugs, behavioral addictions, and low fertility rates. He also provided economic context, noting that 8.5 billion packs of cigarettes were sold in 2025, with annual spending on tobacco reaching $15 billion.

Regarding healthcare infrastructure, Memişoğlu reported that the number of hospitals has increased from 1,156 to 1,526, and the healthcare workforce has grown from 378,000 to 1.5 million. He also emphasized the importance of early diagnosis, noting that family physicians helped diagnose 8,000 people with cancer in the last year before clinical symptoms appeared.