Türkiye’s Health Ministry plans to introduce an electronic age verification system to prevent children and young people from accessing tobacco products.

According to information obtained from the ministry, tobacco use rates are rising at alarming levels both globally and in Türkiye, while data clearly show that the age at which people start using tobacco is declining, leaving children, young people and young women particularly vulnerable to these risks.

According to the results of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 73.3% of students aged 13-15 who smoke can easily purchase cigarettes from supermarkets or small grocery stores. In Türkiye, 57.5% of tobacco users begin the habit at the age of 18 or younger.

Despite the legal age limit of 18, leaving identity checks entirely to the discretion of sellers has failed to prevent children from accessing these products.

To address the problem, Türkiye plans to introduce an "Electronic Sales and Age Verification System,” a model that has been successfully implemented in countries around the world.

Given that 82.6% of tobacco users worldwide begin smoking between the ages of 14 and 25, the data indicate that young people and young women are among the tobacco industry's primary target groups.

According to the figures, tobacco use among women aged 15-24 increased by 107% between 2012 and 2025, more than doubling over the 13-year period.

The European Union strongly recommends that cigarettes not be sold in any of its member states without identity checks. Electronic identity verification systems have been in place for years in countries including Germany, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, the U.S., Austria, Italy and France.