Türkiye’s Health Ministry will provide free smoking-cessation medication to 1 million people as part of its efforts to curb the country’s high smoking rates and support individuals seeking to quit.
Recipients will not be required to have health insurance to benefit from the program, according to a decree published in the Official Gazette on July 4.
Patients will receive the medication through tobacco dependence treatment and counseling centers operating across the country.
Türkiye has recently stepped up its anti-smoking campaign in response to persistently high tobacco use.
A new bill expected to be submitted to parliament would further tighten restrictions on smoking in outdoor public spaces, including beaches and children’s playgrounds.
“We do not want cigarettes and tobacco products to be visible, especially to our children. We will ensure that smoking is kept out of sight as much as possible. Our goal is to reduce the public’s inclination to use tobacco,” Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu told reporters last week.
