The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) has unveiled new data indicating that the prevalence of tobacco and tobacco product use among women aged 15 and above in Türkiye stands at 15.5%.
Turkish Thoracic Association board member professor Tamer Altınok stated that the tobacco industry encourages electronic cigarettes through well-known female figures on social media and said, "The fact that 85% of content producers on social media are women and the majority age group is 25-34 years old can lead to the formation and increase of new smokers, especially among young women."
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Altınok emphasized that the tobacco industry targets the female population with different advertising tactics on digital channels and social media.
Altınok said, "Another very striking result of TurkStat shows that tobacco use among women in the 35-44 age group has reached the highest levels in the history of the republic; one in every four women in the middle age group smokes."
Underlining that the majority of these women are educated and working, Altınok said: "Among men, those with a low education level, workers or unemployed are more often smokers, while this situation is exactly the opposite among women."
Altınok highlights the tobacco industry's shift to digital platforms for advertising, particularly in films and series featuring strong female characters who smoke cigarettes or e-cigarettes. Such portrayals, once prevalent in traditional cigarette advertisements, now contribute to normalizing tobacco use.
Associate professor Pınar Bostan from the Turkish Thoracic Association Tobacco Control Working Group warns against the health risks associated with cigarettes and e-cigarettes, which are often marketed with enticing aromas and colorful designs. She emphasizes the need to curb veiled tobacco advertisements targeting women to prevent the glamorization of smoking.
Bostan stated: "Research indicates that flavored nicotine products, particularly menthol and sweeteners introduced by the industry to mitigate the harsh aroma of tobacco, are widely consumed by young people and women. These additives facilitate smoking and can entice young women, who are more inclined to risky behaviors, into smoking."
Highlighting the detrimental effects of such advertising and marketing strategies on women's smoking rates, Bostan emphasized: "Tobacco product use significantly contributes to women's health risks. Therefore, as the Turkish Thoracic Association, we urge public authorities to implement effective and immediate measures to shield women from the tobacco industry's aggressive marketing tactics."
