Minister Memişoğlu: We will not tolerate cigarettes and sugary foods.

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu answered questions from journalists following the 3rd Healthy Türkiye Century-Healthy Life Plan Workshop held at a hotel.

When asked about the steps to be taken regarding the Healthy Life Plan, Memişoğlu said that it is necessary to learn how to stay healthy without losing it, with a health model that protects, develops and produces.

Memişoğlu pointed out that health policies should be developed in this direction and said:

We need to educate and raise awareness among the public about staying healthy, taking care of their bodies without losing them, and how to manage them. Therefore, we need to develop a 10-year action plan with all our institutions and stakeholders, a policy that will protect public health. In this system, we need to develop an action plan that will involve not only the Ministry of Health but also society and all its institutions in collaboration. If your diet and living environment are unhealthy, if you have high stress levels, if you are inactive, and if you don't have adequate movement areas, you have no chance of staying healthy.

Stating that society should first demand staying healthy, Memişoğlu said that this should become a policy.

Memişoğlu said, "Why did we take the field? We measured our weight and height. So that society would be aware of this and demand it. Because society needs to know that being overweight puts us at risk for all kinds of illnesses, from joint problems to heart disease. They need to know that smokers are more likely to develop lung cancer, shortness of breath, lung diseases, and that their quality of sleep and life will decrease. We're developing a policy on preventative health. Why? So that society is aware. We're working to create a roadmap for this action plan with both institutions and communities."

Memişoğlu stated that they want society to demand low-sugar foods rather than ban high-sugar foods, and that they are working on legislative work on this issue.

"We will draw Türkiye's healthy road map"

Pointing out that one-third of society smokes, Memişoğlu said, "We're actually trying to develop a policy to educate that third, along with two-thirds, and encourage them to quit. But there's also the issue of whether we do this in conjunction with industry. When you demand this, both society and industry, as well as manufacturers, will act accordingly. Therefore, we're preparing an action plan to primarily raise public culture and awareness."

Memişoğlu noted the following:

I'm saying it clearly and directly. From now on, Türkiye's priority is not treatment, but staying healthy. We're providing the best treatment in the world. Today, Turkey is practically number one in healthcare. In terms of service, quality, and accessibility, we're treating the disease. They're holding these meetings to raise public awareness of staying healthy without the disease. There are all kinds of stakeholders here, universities, and people from all over Türkiye have come. We're holding a workshop to develop our policies, a 10-year health and action plan, and a strategic plan for our future, all in light of science. We'll draft this very soon. We'll draw Türkiye's healthy roadmap, and I'm stating it very clearly: we will have no tolerance for both cigarettes and sugary foods.

When asked whether there would be a regulation in the new legislative year regarding reducing the fructose content in food and beverages, Memişoğlu said, "We will submit a legislative study regarding cigarettes, nutrition, food , and supplements to Parliament, but this will be in 2026."