The Health Ministry in January outlawed the sale of lighter fluid to minors under the age of 18.
The Malatya Governor's Office has decided it will identify and prosecute people who sell lighter fluid to minors. The Health Ministry has begun to monitor lighter fluid from production to sales and sent a notice to governor's offices across the country on the issue. With the notice, the ministry prohibited the sale of lighter fluid by street vendors, who will be fined if they are found to have violated the ban.
Minors can easily obtain lighter fluid from street vendors for TL 2 or TL 3 and inhale it to get high. The issue came to the public's attention when eighth grade student Hakan Ülker died as he and his friends were experimenting with lighter fluid in İstanbul's Pendik district in November 2010.
According to the ministry circular, tins of lighter fluid will feature a warning that says sale to minors is prohibited and that sellers who violate the ministry's ban will be fined TL 143 under the Law on Misdemeanors. The ministry will soon require that lighter fluid production companies add a repellent odor to the fluid.
