Traditional smokeless tobacco is legal and regulated as a tobacco product with certain restrictions in Turkey. Based on these regulations, its sale is allowed, but it is subject to a complete ban on advertising including all media platforms. The use of smokeless tobacco is also restricted in public places, in line with the country’s broader tobacco control regulations. Moreover, packaging must display health warnings, and the minimum legal age for purchase is 18 years. Online sales and vending machine purchases of smokeless tobacco products are also banned.
Reference
WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-tur.pdf?sfvrsn=332cb311_3&download=true. Accessed: 30 October 2025.
Publications
Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Burning Issue for Asia
Harry Shapiro
The focus of this GSTHR briefing is Asia. Sixty per cent of the world’s smokers live in this region and almost half the global deaths from smoking occur here. Asia is also home to nine in every ten users of smokeless tobacco (SLT), leading to high rates of oral cancer. In a number of countries, public health is severely undermined where governments either control or have a significant stake in domestic tobacco companies. New solutions are needed to tackle the public health threat from smoking and tobacco use - but safer nicotine products are banned in many countries. Would tobacco harm reduction improve public health in Asia? And if so - what are the obstacles that stand in its way?
The formal launch event for the briefing took place online on Sunday 18 April 2021 and was co-hosted with Association of Vapers India.
