Türkiye’s Health Ministry has opened specialised clinics to help teenagers quit smoking and prevent nicotine addiction at an early age.
Health experts warn that adolescence is a particularly vulnerable period for developing addictive behaviours due to factors including curiosity, peer pressure, social media influence, misconceptions about health risks and easier access to new-generation nicotine products.
Nicotine exposure during childhood and adolescence can negatively affect brain development, potentially causing long-term problems with attention, learning, memory and impulse control.
Early tobacco use also increases the likelihood of developing alcohol and other substance addictions later in life.
The Health Ministry’s Adolescent Smoking Cessation Clinics aim to provide young people with assessment, counselling and treatment tailored to their biological, psychological and social needs.
The clinics offer evidence-based support while working with child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other specialists when necessary.
Health officials say early intervention is essential not only to prevent tobacco use but also to stop nicotine dependence from becoming a long-term addiction and reduce future health risks.
Clinics to expand nationwide
The new clinics began operating in June 2026 and currently provide services at seven centres in Agri, Ankara, Bursa, Canakkale, Corum and Kutahya.
The ministry plans to expand the programme across the country by increasing the number of centres and eventually making adolescent smoking cessation services available in every province.
Türkiye currently has 1,600 smoking cessation clinics serving people nationwide as of July 9, 2026.
The ministry has also prepared a clinical guide for physicians working at the newly established adolescent centres.
The 18 factor
According to the Turkish Green Crescent Society (Yesilay), 62.9 percent of smokers in Türkiye begin using tobacco before the age of 18, with the average age of first use at 16.9.
The rate of early tobacco use is higher among boys, at 68.6 percent, compared with 54.2 percent among girls, according to Yesilay’s 2025 Tobacco Report based on data from its Green Crescent Counseling Centers (YEDAM).
Research published in Yesilay’s peer-reviewed journal Addicta: The Turkish Journal on Addictions found that 21.5 percent of vocational and technical high school students smoke traditional cigarettes, while 19.6 percent use e-cigarettes, highlighting the growing use of vaping products among adolescents.
Health officials estimate that tobacco-related diseases cause nearly 100,000 deaths annually in Türkiye, making smoking one of the country’s leading preventable causes of death and underscoring the importance of early prevention efforts.
