The safe will not be opened without age verification.

A new era of digital control is opening at sales points in Türkiye to prevent children's access to cigarettes.

Within the scope of the action plan to combat tobacco announced by Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu, an electronic age verification system will be established to prevent the sale of cigarettes to people under the age of 18. The new legal regulation aims to integrate identity control into the sales process.

The basic logic of the system is as follows: "The sale cannot be completed without age verification. Not only the age control, but also how to prevent this control from being circumvented by fraud and what sanctions will be applied to businesses that violate the rules are also being studied."

QR CODE, IDENTITY AND CASH REGISTER INTEGRATION

In one possible model, the customer's age is expected to be verified with a QR code generated through an authorized application. Other options include chip ID card control and integration of electronic systems into cash registers. When the cigarette pack is scanned, the cash register will ask for age verification; The sales transaction cannot be completed without approval. Thus, control will not be left solely to the employee's initiative.

However, the technical method by which the system will be established and how it will be made mandatory for all businesses has not yet been determined.

HOW TO PREVENT SELLING WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S IDENTITY?

The most important test of the digital system will be children trying to buy cigarettes with someone else's ID. The validity of the QR code or ID card does not mean that the person using the card is the real owner. To reduce this risk, in addition to identity verification, methods such as comparing the identity photo of the person with the person will be used when necessary. Single-use and short-term QR codes can also make it difficult to copy or reuse the code.

Another problem is that adults buy cigarettes on behalf of children. Marking transactions that are repeated at short intervals at different sales points as unusual transactions can help audit units identify risky situations. However, the scope of such tracking, its legal basis and the limits regarding the protection of personal data must be clearly determined.

FINE AND CANCELLATION OF DOCUMENTS FOR THE VIOLATING BUSINESS

The sale of tobacco products to people under 18 is already prohibited under current legislation. While the new system makes it easier to detect violations; It will strengthen control with electronic records. Deterrent sanctions are issued for behaviors such as deliberately disabling age verification, selling despite the system's warning, or misleading the inspection.

Electronic records may reveal breach; However, in order for the penalty to be applied in accordance with the law, the violation must be verified and the business's right of defense and means of objection must be protected. Once the bill is submitted to the Parliament, the technical limits of the system, the audit method and the scope of sanctions will become clear.