Sale of cigarettes with age verification. Minister Memişoğlu: We are looking at examples such as HEPP or QR code

It is expected that the new law proposal on the fight against tobacco will come to the Parliament in a short time. One of the regulations to be included in the proposal is to prevent the sale of cigarettes to people under the age of 18.

Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu said that an age verification system will be introduced in cigarette sales.

Minister Memişoğlu said, "A survey was conducted, 220 thousand young people were asked, 73.3 percent of them between the ages of 13-15 can easily buy cigarettes. It is normally prohibited to sell cigarettes to people under the age of 18. We are also working on this in our draft law." he said.

Memişoğlu said, "When selling to our people, we will do age verification, especially our young people, that is, we will ask their age. We are looking at the world's examples of how to ask the age and by what method. Maybe we are looking at examples from around the world, like we did in Covid, to sell people through HES or QR codes or otherwise." he said.

Minister Memişoğlu said, "We expect everyone to support this. We have routine meetings with everyone. But today we are talking to everyone not only about cigarettes, but also about sugar and nutrition. We expect everyone to support this. We expect not only the Ministry of Health, but the whole society to support this." he said.