Smoking ban in Turkish bars

Published on February 19, 2008 4:35 AM

Turkish smokers are agitated over the ban on smoking in bars, cafes and restaurants. Turkey is a state where smoking represents a whole lifestyle for many people. Statistics show that Turkey has a population of 75 million, 25 million of which are smokers, and two-thirds of the smokers are men, and 11 percent are children aged 7 to 11. Many deaths in Turkey, one in five, are caused by Tobacco.

Turkey is both a major improter and a producer of tobacco and cigarettes.

All of the smokers are against the smoking ban and accuse the Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan, for approving the law against smoking in bars, cafes and restaurants. The smoking ban, which has to be signed by the President, Abdullah Gul, will take effect in September, giving bars and restaurants some time to het ready for the change. But imposing the smoking ban will not be easy.

"This ban is disgusting. It's against individual freedom. Those in power should not only think about themselves," said Mustafa Puskullu, 29, a sales advisor, enjoying a cigarette during lunch at an Ankara shopping mall.

"I will certainly not comply with any ban," he added.

Smoking will be banned on buses and planes too.

"We are a society that can promote laws ranging from tax regulations to traffic rules, from smoking restrictions to bans on torture, but we can't implement them," said columnist Murat Yetkin.

"The smoking ban must not remain only on paper," he said.

Those who will flout the smoking ban will face a fine of 57 lira ($49). Owners of bars, cafes and restaurants where the customers will light up a cigarette could be fined up to 5,000 lira.

Nuri Bayraktar, a 24-year-old bank employee, said: "I don't think this ban is a good idea. People should be left alone. But I will have to abide because I don't want to pay the fine."