Market & legal data in the tobacco alternatives sector in Turkey

28th October 2024: Turkey: Researchers from the Economic Research Forum – a regional network based in Cairo and Dubai focused on advancing economic research for sustainable development in Iran and Turkey – presented findings from a survey experiment exploring how the legal status of nicotine products influences young adults’ perceptions and choices. Although alternative tobacco products are banned, they remain accessible through the illicit market. The survey indicated that most young consumers view these illegally sold products as less socially acceptable and are less inclined to use them, stating a willingness to pay less for illegal products compared to legal ones. Currently, the government’s stance on novel tobacco products is strongly restrictive, with bans on most alternatives that challenge the country’s EU Customs Union obligations, effectively creating a barrier to imports from European markets.
21st March 2024: Turkey: The Ministry of Trade has released its annual activity report for 2023, which revealed that in collaboration with the customs enforcement team, it was able to confiscate a total of 6.4m heated tobacco units last year.
12th February 2024: Turkey: First Lady Emine Erdoğan has tweeted against the use of heated tobacco and e-cigarettes, saying that these products are hazardous not only to health but also to nature and humanity due to the non-recyclable hazardous waste they create.
7th November 2023: Turkey: Member of parliament (MP) Kayıhan Pala of the Republican People’s Party has emphasised that e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) are being portrayed as harmless, despite potential health risks. Pala argued that these products might pose harm comparable to – if not greater than – traditional cigarettes, press reports.
30th May 2023: Turkey: The re-election of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to a third term as president, while the People’s Alliance led by his Justice and Development (AKP) party secured a majority in Parliament, is unlikely to lead to any opportunity for a legal market in heated tobacco. In 2017, Parliament, led by the AKP, failed to pass a bill to legalise heat-not-burn tobacco products. However, in 2020 the AKP passed Law No. 2149/2020 banning the use and circulation of heated tobacco.

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