Overview
- - An AKP-drafted bill reported by Turkish media lays out phased restrictions now and a full prohibition on making, selling or importing tobacco products from January 1, 2040.
- - The draft broadens “tobacco product” to cover e‑cigarettes, vapes, e‑shishas, heated tobacco and any product with organic or synthetic nicotine.
- - Near-term rules would bar smoking across most public places including beaches, parks, schools, hospitals, religious sites and many outdoor dining areas.
- - Enforcement measures include a ban on cash payments, electronic recording of each purchase, limits on designated smoking spaces, patrol checks, and up to one year in prison for sales to minors.
- - Penalties scale sharply, with business fines of 1–10 million lira and possible license loss, about 5,000 lira for smoking in banned zones, and 50,000–250,000 lira for tourists or residents who possess or bring tobacco once the 2040 regime begins, as the government cites public health goals in a country with an estimated 18–19 million smokers.