The counseling and support lines at the Ministry of Health, the General Directorate of Public Health, and the Department of Tobacco and Substance Addiction Prevention announced that 136,961 individuals in Türkiye have successfully quit smoking since 2015, marking a milestone for public health.
Şengül Sevim, head of counseling and support lines at the Ministry of Health, spoke to the media during a news conference held this week as part of the Public Health Week celebrations. "This year's theme is 'Living with Health,' and an unwavering commitment to combatting smoking addiction and promoting overall well-being among the populace. In this context, the ALO 171 Smoking Cessation Hotline has been established to provide guidance, encouragement and support to those seeking to break free from the clutches of tobacco products," Sevim explained.
Highlighting the hotline's impact, Sevim shared that it receives a substantial daily call volume, ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 calls as of 2023. She explained that these calls serve as crucial interventions, wherein individuals are educated about the harmful effects of tobacco product use and a nicotine addiction scale is used to gauge their level of addiction. Depending on the scale's results, individuals with low to moderate addiction levels are offered personalized smoking cessation plans.
For those grappling with higher addiction levels, Sevim stressed the importance of medical supervision. She noted, "Clients with high addiction levels are informed about health professionals and facilities specializing in smoking cessation, and are directed to specialized polyclinics where they can quit smoking under the watchful eye of a physician."
This sustained assistance has borne fruit, with a staggering 136,961 individuals successfully having quit smoking since 2015. The comprehensive smoking cessation service is administered by physicians who have received specialized training and is available through 467 cessation outpatient clinics spread across the country.
