President of the Turkish Society for Combating Tobacco, Associate Professor Dr. Mustafa Aydın, Comments on New Zealand’s Tobacco Control Decision

Associate Professor Dr. Mustafa Aydın, President of the Turkish Society for Combating Tobacco, made statements regarding New Zealand’s decision to combat smoking, emphasizing the urgent need to take necessary steps to protect the health of future generations.

The New Zealand government has enacted a law that bans the purchase of cigarettes for those under 14 years of age for life and restricts cigarette sales to designated tobacco shops only. Supporting this decision, Dr. Aydın stated, “It is significant that cigarette sales are limited to specific stores; our goal is for young people to never encounter cigarettes.” He added, “In addition to the measures taken by governments to protect future generations, it is crucial to educate and raise awareness in communities.”

SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT

Dr. Aydın highlighted the severe damage that smoking causes to human health and the environment, stating, “The extent of the harm caused by smoking to human health and nature is immense. Additionally, the economic damage is undeniable. Tobacco companies increase their profits every year, with a market worth around 1 trillion euros. In our country alone, the cost exceeds 120 billion lira. This is a very serious figure. We need to evaluate the damage smoking causes both to health and the economy together.”

“THIS DECISION SHOULD BE A GLOBAL EXAMPLE”

Addressing the New Zealand government’s decision to ban cigarette sales to those born in 2008 and later, adding a new age group to this list each year, Dr. Aydın remarked, “I would like to emphasize that the age for starting to smoke has fallen to 11; this issue is not just a local problem but a universal one. Therefore, governments, non-governmental organizations, and opinion leaders must act together. The decision taken by the New Zealand government and lawmakers for future generations is a milestone. Everyone should follow this path. My hope is for humanity to swiftly rid itself of the tobacco plague, and for this decision to serve as an example worldwide.”

Source: www.dha.com.tr
Date: July 30, 2022