Turkey’s Smoke‑Free Tazlar Village Highlights Healthy Living Model

The village of Tazlar in Sinanpaşa district, Afyonkarahisar, is renowned for its century‑old smoke‑free tradition. In 1928 village elder Ahmet Ağa banned smoking, and since then the proportion of residents who smoke has never exceeded 15 %.

Tazlar also has no coffeehouses; instead, each neighbourhood has a communal room where people gather, promoting a smoke‑free social environment. In winter the village houses 400‑500 people, while summer populations rise to about 2,000 as former residents return. The village’s health‑focused lifestyle has attracted the attention of local authorities and the Turkish anti‑addiction organization Yeşilay, which now runs a special support programme there. Tazlar is promoted as Turkey’s most “Yeşilay”‑oriented village, serving as a model of healthy living for the region.