TÜRKİYE'DE ARTAN SİGARA KULLANIMI: BİR KAMU POLİTİKASI BAŞARISIZLIĞI MI?

Abstract

Son yirmi yılda Türkiye, Dünya Sağlık Örgütü Tütün Kontrolü Çerçeve Sözleşmesi (DSÖ TKÇS; WHO FCTC) ve bu sözleşme kapsamında geliştirilen MPOWER stratejisini en erken benimseyen ve en kararlı şekilde uygulayan ülkelerden biri olarak kabul edilmektedir. Ancak, güçlü yasal uyum ve kapsamlı düzenleyici çerçeveye rağmen, sigara kullanım prevalansındaki azalma politika yapıcıların beklentilerinin gerisinde kalmıştır. Bu çalışma, söz konusu tersine dönüşün nedenlerini incelemekte ve Türkiye’de tütün kontrolü alanında yaşanan sorunun politika eksikliğinden ziyade bir uygulama başarısızlığı olduğunu ileri sürmektedir. Mevzuat, uluslararası karşılaştırmalar ve ikincil veri kaynaklarından yararlanılarak gerçekleştirilen analiz sonucunda, politika etkinliğini zayıflatan üç temel unsur belirlenmiştir: (i) tütünün kültürel olarak normalleşmiş olması ve ekonomik bağımlılık yaratması, (ii) regüle edilmiş alternatif ürünlerin bulunmaması ve (iii) mevcut güçlü düzenlemelerin yetersiz ve tutarsız biçimde uygulanması. Çalışma, Türkiye deneyimini kamu politikalarında devlet başarısızlığı ve politika uygulama boşlukları üzerine yürütülen kuramsal tartışmalar çerçevesinde değerlendirmektedir. Bulgular, tütün bağımlılığının sosyo-kültürel ve ekonomik temelleri ele alınmadığı, alternatif nikotin ürünlerine yönelik düzenlenmiş bir çerçeve oluşturulmadığı ve ülke genelinde tutarlı bir denetim mekanizması sağlanmadığı sürece Türkiye’nin tütün kontrolü politikalarının sınırlı sonuçlar üretmeye devam edebileceğini göstermektedir. Çalışma, uygulama kapasitesinin güçlendirilmesi, tütün üreticileri için tarımsal çeşitlendirmenin desteklenmesi ve halk sağlığı müdahalelerinin Türkiye’nin toplumsal gerçekliklerine uyarlanmasına yönelik politika önerileriyle son bulmaktadır.

Keywords

• Tütün
• Tütün Kontrolü
• Politika Uygulaması
• Sigara Kullanım Prevalansı
• Türkiye

Ethical Statement

İzne ihtiyaç yoktur

Thanks

Sayın Erdil ve Sayın Özbek'e bu çalışmaya olan sürekli katkılarından ötürü teşekkürlerimi sunarım.

RISING SMOKING PREVALENCE IN TÜRKİYE: IS THERE A PUBLIC POLICY FAILURE?

Abstract

Over the past two decades, Türkiye has been recognized as one of the earliest and most committed adopters of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and its MPOWER strategy. However, despite this strong legislative alignment and comprehensive regulatory framework, the decline in smoking prevalence has fallen short of policymakers' expectations. This paper investigates the reasons behind this reversal, arguing that Türkiye’s tobacco control challenge represents a case of implementation failure rather than policy absence. Drawing on legislation, international comparisons, and secondary data, the study identifies three core factors undermining policy effectiveness: (i) the cultural normalization and economic dependency associated with tobacco, (ii) the absence of a regulated alternative products framework, and (iii) weak and inconsistent enforcement of existing strong regulations. The analysis situates Türkiye’s experience within broader theoretical debates on government failure and policy implementation gaps. Findings suggest that without addressing the socio-cultural and economic roots of tobacco dependence, integrating regulated alternative products, and ensuring consistent nationwide enforcement, Türkiye’s tobacco control efforts may continue to yield limited results. The paper concludes with policy recommendations aimed at enhancing enforcement capacity, supporting agricultural diversification, and adapting public health interventions to Türkiye’s social realities.

Keywords

• Tobacco
• Tobacco Control
• Policy Implementation
• Smoking Prevalence
• Türkiye

Ethical Statement

No permission needed

Thanks

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mrs. Erdil and Mr. Özbek for their continuous support to this research

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