A New Regulation Under Way for Smokers?

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Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca has announced that a change will be introduced to smoking areas in closed spaces.

Speaking to Meltem Özgenç from Hürriyet newspaper, Koca has stated that "the best places in restaurants and cafes are allocated to smokers" and added, "What we say is the following: Let us allow them to smoke not in open areas, but in closed spaces that we will give permission."

Emphasizing that strict inspections on smoking areas led to a decrease in the number of smokers, Koca has stated that with the inspections becoming less strict in the course of time, the rate of smokers has again increased to 32 percent. Koca has continued as follows:

"Tobacco industry tries to increase consumption"

"While the rate of male smokers has increased from 41 to 44 percent, the rate of women has increased from 13 to 19 percent. The industry looks at the issue, thinking 'How can I increase the consumption?'. As the inspections get stricter, they are trying to create a culture of shisha.

"If you do not struggle against the industry, you cannot get results. We have talked about the harms of smoking up to today. Though it is important, we should definitely create a perception of disgust for smoking as well.

"Best places in cafes allocated to smokers"

"In practice, we proceeded by separating open and closed spaces. We say that 'smoking should not be tempting', but the best parts of cafes are allocated to smokers. We say that 'let's not show the blurred images of smokers on TVs to our children', but we exhibit them in restaurants and on the street. In other countries, people do not smoke so much in open spaces.

"What we say is the following: Let us allow them to smoke not in open areas, but in closed spaces that we will give permission."

"A different procedure of licensing"

"You take the non-smokers, who account for almost 70 percent of your guests, to a small closed space in the back while you allocate the best part of your place to the smokers, who account for only 30 percent.

"From now on, there will be closed spaces, which do not exceed 30 percent of the whole place. It will not be possible to directly reach these spaces with a door, but there will be a transition area. These spaces will be equipped with strong ventilation systems. The smoke will not penetrate outside.

"They will also have a special procedure of licensing. It will also be the case for shisha. People will not be allowed to smoke them in open spaces." (HA/SD)