Is there an 'ID requirement' for cigarette sales? New statement from Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu

Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu made a statement following the reactions to his statement that Turkish ID number would be required during cigarette sales.

Minister Memişoğlu stated that "they prioritized preventing the sale of tobacco products to children under the age of 18, and that they discussed the preparations of the new draft law on the subject within the framework of the protection of personal data."

In his statement on his social media account, Memişoğlu shared an image of a lung damaged by smoking and said, "This picture we see is a preventable destruction. The damage caused by tobacco products on our bodies is not only an individual choice, but a common burden we carry as a society. I understand the question marks on our statements. May our citizens be of good cheer; our priority is to prevent the sale of tobacco products to our children under the age of 18 by age verification and to protect them from the harmful effects of tobacco. In this regard, we respect privacy, protect personal data and "We are evaluating all options, including electronic systems that provide ease of implementation, and we are considering our new draft law and legislation within this framework. We know very well the justified sensitivity of millions of our non-smoking citizens and their right to clean air. Our aim is to protect our society, especially our children, from the destructive effects of tobacco. Let's not forget that the fight against tobacco is a struggle for all of us."