Turkish authority introduces ‘Alcohol is not your friend’ tag on bottles

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet

Daily News Photo, Emrah Gürel

Signs warning about the possible harms of alcohol consumption will be placed on the bottles of alcoholic beverages within 10 months, according to a statement published in the Official Gazette Aug. 11.

The statement about the warning labels to be put on alcoholic beverage packages, which was released by the Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority (TAPDK), specified three graphic warning signs and a written message to be placed on bottles containing alcohol.

Pictures will involve warnings against consumption under the age of 18, before driving and during pregnancy, while the written message will read, “Alcohol is not your friend.”

The warnings will not be permitted to be hidden, covered, cut out or placed on additions and will have specific font sizes according to the mass of the packages. The warnings and message will be printed in black on a white background with a red frame enclosing the warning.

According to the statement, minors will not be employed in jobs producing, promoting, selling and openly exhibiting alcohol as of June 11, 2014, though studies with educational purposes that have legal permits will be exempt from this regulation.

The statement concerning the warning labels and messages on alcoholic bottles has been published in accordance with a law accepted by the Turkish Parliament in May 2014, which changed the pre-existing law on the selling and consumption of alcoholic beverages. According to the new law, alcohol cannot be sold in markets and kiosks between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., while facilities with a license to sell alcohol cannot be located within 100 meters of a school, dormitory or a sanctuary. The law also required warning labels and messages on the harms of alcohol consumption be put on the packages of alcoholic beverages.