Electronic cigarettes to be banned totally: Minister

ANKARA – Demirören News Agency

Electronic cigarettes in Turkey will be banned completely, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said.

The ministry is working on a number of new regulations and law amendments, Koca said on Oct. 1 during a reception in parliament marking the opening of the new legislative year.

“It [electronic cigarette] is going to be banned including its entry to the country. We have been working on a legislative regulation. The descriptions of open and closed spaces could be cleared by a regulation directive but we will also make some regulations through law amendments, including the prohibition of electronic cigarettes,” he said.

The health minister also criticized the fact that the best spaces at restaurants and other venues are spared for smokers.

“There will be a new approach to describe the opening-closing roof systems as closed spaces and clear how an open space should exactly be like,” he added.