It is planned to switch to an electronic age verification system in the sale of tobacco products.

According to the information obtained from the Ministry of Health, while tobacco use rates are increasing at an alarming level in the world and in Türkiye, the data clearly show that the age of starting to use tobacco products is gradually decreasing and that especially children, teenagers and young women are more exposed to this risk.

According to the results of the Global Youth Survey, 73.3 percent of students aged 13-15 who smoke can easily buy cigarettes from markets or grocery stores, while 57.5 percent of tobacco users in Türkiye start this habit at the age of 18 and under.

Despite the 18 age limit in the current law, leaving identity control entirely to the initiative of the seller cannot prevent children from accessing these products.

In order to solve this problem, it is planned to implement the "Electronic System Sales and Age Verification" model, which has been successfully implemented all over the world, in Türkiye.

According to data, tobacco use among young women increased by 107 percent

Considering that 82.6 percent of tobacco users in the world start smoking between the ages of 14-25, it is clear that the main target audience of the industry is youth and young women.

According to the data, between 2012 and 2025, tobacco product use among women in the 15-24 age group increased by 107 percent, more than doubling in 13 years.

While the European Union strongly recommends that cigarettes should not be sold without an identity check in all member countries, electronic identity verification practices have been in effect for years in countries such as Germany, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, the USA, Austria, Italy and France.