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As World No Tobacco Day approaches on May 31, health care professionals in Türkiye are warning of an ongoing increase in tobacco consumption and a concerning decline in the age at which individuals begin smoking.
Speaking to Ihlas News Agency at the Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital Smoking Cessation Clinic, Pulmonology Specialist Dr. Belma Akbaba Bagci stated that smoking remains one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide and continues to pose a major public health challenge.
Dr. Bagci noted that smoking prevalence is increasing, particularly among women, while initiation at younger ages is becoming more common. She emphasized that early exposure to nicotine significantly increases the risk of long-term addiction and continued tobacco dependence into adulthood.
She also addressed the growing use of electronic cigarettes, warning that these products are often misperceived as harmless alternatives.
According to Bagci, e-cigarettes contribute to sustained nicotine addiction and are associated with serious health risks, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disorders, and cancer. She further highlighted e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), a severe condition linked to vaping that can lead to acute lung damage, respiratory failure, and potentially death.
The specialist added that there are an estimated 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide, including approximately 17 million–18 million in Türkiye. She stressed that smoking is responsible for six of the eight leading causes of death globally.
Bagci also outlined the treatment process at smoking cessation clinics, noting that patients undergo individualized assessments based on medical history, smoking duration, previous quit attempts, and comorbid conditions.
Treatment options include nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, gums, sprays, and lozenges, as well as pharmacological medications. Patients are followed regularly through structured check-ups to improve cessation success rates.
She underlined that consistent medical support and follow-up significantly increase quit success rates, while lack of follow-up is associated with higher relapse rates.
She also warned that passive smoking remains a major health risk, contributing to an estimated 1.3 million deaths annually worldwide.
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