The Smoking Ban had Positive Results in Turkey
Published on February 16, 2010 7:28 AM
Smoking was banned in all indoor places in almost all countries for to protect the non-smokers health. But the ban on smoking in Turkey in all indoor places was a hot subject of discussion about two years ago, but despite opposition coming from many business groups, the government decided to make some changes in this recent legislation.
For example, the first aspect of the law came into force on May 19, 2008. It banned smoking cigarettes in state buildings, including hallways and corridors, in all enclosed areas of educational, health, production, commercial, social, cultural and sports facilities and in public transportation vehicles, including taxis, buses, ferries and airplanes. As of July 19, 2009, the law went into full effect, with restaurants, coffeehouses, cafeterias and bars also designated smoke-free areas.
Scientists declared that Turkey is a good example for the other countries which didn’t ban smoking in indoor places, because it successfully implemented its ban on smoking. So, because of smoking ban many smokers in Turkey quitted smoking tobacco products in public places. However smoking remains a critical problem in this country where a lot of inhabitants smoke.
Mustafa Erelel, a specialist on chest disease, explained that he wants the government to continue to implement anti-smoking legislations for to prevent more and more people from smoking because the smoking ban has brought positive results.
Mr. Erelel also said that he thinks there are three steps to get people to stop smoking, an addictive habit. For example, one step is to increase cigarettes prices. However it is knew that this is not a very effective because high prices lead to more illegal cigarettes entering the country. The second step is to prohibit smoking cigarettes, and the third is to limit tobacco product advertisements.
"The smoking ban has affected Turkey positively in terms of the health of both passive and active smokers because all indoor areas are now smoke-free. However, smoking remains the main problem in Turkey. I am grateful for the government’s first step to ban smoking cigarettes, but I think it should make the ban stricter and make Turkey 100 percent smoke-free, just as Italy, New York and Ireland have done," Erelel added.
Researchers said that they found that developing countries have more smokers. Inhabitants in such countries start to smoke at the age of 12, because they see smoking cigarettes as a game rather than as something that is harmful for their health.
Sevgi Aksu, president of the Anti-Smoking Foundation (SSV), said: "Cigarettes are more addictive than heroin or cocaine. However, a ban on indoor smoking will continue to cut tobacco consumption. We expect further decrease in cigarette use with the increased prices of tobacco products. Smoking is such an important problem that it can no longer be disregard. Everyone has the fortune to stop smoking before it’s too late."
