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Parliament debates expanding smoking ban to bars and restaurants
The draft bill, which is backed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s governing party, would also widen the ban to some open-air locations such as stadiums, sports facilities and playgrounds.
Turkey -which hopes to join the European Union - was debating the measure as similar bans came into force in France and Germany.
Enforcing the existing ban on the impassioned smokers of Turkey has been tricky. No-smoking signs are frequently ignored -even inside hospitals- and it is not unusual to see people smoking next to no-smoking signs in public places.
The ban on smoking on public transport would be widened to taxis, ferries and trains in addition to planes and passenger buses, while television stations would be barred from airing shows in which people can be seen smoking.
A 50 Turkish Lira ($43) fine would be imposed on offenders. And owners of cafes, restaurants and bars would be fined up to 5,000 Turkish Lira ($4,300) if they allow customers to light up.
Earlier proposals to also ban smoking in the gardens of hospitals and mosques and to force restaurants and bars to introduce segregated smoking chambers were removed from the draft after lawmakers said they were impractical. Special smoke chambers would only be set up in psychiatric hospitals and prisons.
In 1997, Turkey banned smoking in offices with more than four workers, on some public transport, and some public places including sports centers. It also curbed cigarette advertising and ordered health warnings on cigarette packs.
About 40 percent of Turks over the age of 15 are smokers, consuming around 17 million packs a day, according to Yesilay, an organization devoted to fighting alcohol, drug and tobacco abuse. An estimated 11 percent of children aged 7 to 11, are also smokers, the organization says.
The law would come into effect if approved by parliament and the president.
Lawmakers from Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party who proposed the bill say some 160,000 people die annually in Turkey from smoking-related ailments. The measure also has the backing of opposition parties.
“Starting from the airports to taxis and restaurants, visitors to our country are hit by the smoke,” said ruling party lawmaker Nursuna Memecan. “Now hopefully a beautiful and clean Turkey will stick in the mind.”
Turkey is among the world’s main tobacco growers along with China, India, the United States and Brazil and one of the world’s top exporters. Several major cigarettes producers blend Turkish tobacco in their products.
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