The President of the Turkish Association for the Fight Against Tobacco, Assoc. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, stated that approximately 100,000 people lose their lives each year in the country due to smoking.

Assoc. Dr. Aydın made significant remarks on the occasion of February 9, World No Tobacco Day. Emphasizing that around 100,000 people die annually due to smoking, Dr. Aydın said, “Smokers not only poison themselves but also those around them.

Moreover, children of smoking parents are observed to have developmental delays and an increased risk of cancer.”

Highlighting that passive smoking is a significant issue in the country, Aydın mentioned that 25,000 people lose their lives each year due to passive smoking.

9% Share of Health Expenses for Smoking

Dr. Aydın stressed that smoking also causes substantial financial losses. “In our country, around $20 billion is spent on smoking each year. This money should be used in areas such as health, education, and infrastructure. This is not the only concern. The money spent on treating diseases related to tobacco and tobacco products constitutes 9% of all health expenses, and this rate continues to increase every day,” he stated.

Noting that the age of initiation into smoking is decreasing, Aydın said, “Unfortunately, the age at which our youth, who are the future generations, start smoking is dropping every day. It is alarming that the age of initiation has decreased to as low as 13. Such a drop in the initiation age means that our children and young people are at risk of developing fatal diseases at an early age. This also adds an extra burden to health expenses.”

“Passive Smoking Causes Various Health Issues”

Drawing attention to the harmful chemicals in cigarettes, Assoc. Dr. Mustafa Aydın stated, “There are many known and unknown toxic chemicals in cigarettes. Some of these include arsenic, ammonia, cadmium, tar, naphthalene, lead, and cyanide. Many diseases are caused by these toxic chemicals. When the long-term effects of smoking are studied, we see health issues such as increased risk of heart attack, stroke, bone fractures, and various types of cancer. Additionally, a smoker not only harms themselves but also causes serious damage to those around them due to passive smoking. In an environment where smoking occurs, a non-smoker inhaling cigarette smoke can lead to many serious health issues, particularly respiratory problems.”

“Causes Serious Environmental Pollution”

Addressing the environmental impacts of smoking, Aydın stated, “There are many studies on the damage caused by smoking to both human health and the environment. For instance, research on the environmental impact of cigarette butts has shown that they hinder plant growth by up to 50%. Additionally, it has been proven that a cigarette butt can remain in the environment for 14 years,” emphasizing the environmental effects of cigarette butts.