Tobacco.org

No retreat from smoking ban, says health minister 

Health Minister Recep Akdağ has reaffirmed that Turkey will not backtrack on its complete ban on the use of tobacco products at indoor establishments, which comes into force on Sunday.

Akdağ stressed that no extra time would be given to shop owners to make the necessary adjustments to their business premises. “We are not happy with the idea of allowing extra time to cafes, restaurants or tourism agencies to make the adjustments to their premises that the law requires. Some European Union member countries did allow extra time to businesses before enforcing the full smoking ban, but later had great difficulty in carrying it out,” he stated.

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