Türkiye has opened 15 smoking cessation clinics for adolescents aged 12 to 18 across nine provinces, offering age-appropriate counseling and treatment to help young people quit tobacco use.
The clinics, launched in June 2026, are located in Ankara, Ağrı, Antalya, Bursa, Çanakkale, Çorum, Kahramanmaraş, Kırşehir and Kütahya, the Health Ministry said.
The ministry warned that adolescence is a particularly vulnerable period for nicotine addiction due to peer influence, social media, indirect tobacco promotion and access to newer nicotine products.
Nicotine use during childhood and adolescence can adversely affect brain development, with potentially lasting consequences for attention, learning, memory and impulse control. Early tobacco use may also increase the risk of alcohol and other substance use later in life.
The clinics will offer tailored counseling and treatment for adolescents, involving families and collaborating with child psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers as needed.
The ministry has also prepared clinical guidelines for doctors working at the facilities. It plans to expand the network nationwide to strengthen early intervention, prevent nicotine addiction from becoming chronic and reduce tobacco-related health risks.
