The Impact of Smoking Bans on Smoking Behaviour in Turkey

The purpose of this study is to determine the potential impact on individual cigarette consumption of 100% smoke-free law which entered into force in Turkey in 2009. This effect is investigated using the difference in differences method through the 2008 and 2012 Global Adult Tobacco Survey data provided by the Turkey Statistical Institute. In the study, using the diff-in-diff method enables to measure the change in individual cigarette consumption emerging by only the law eliminating the time-related effects in the pre and post law period. The most important analysis result obtained from the study is that the effect of smoke-free law which entered into force in Turkey in 2009 on daily cigarette consumption is statistically significant and negative. In addition, according to the results obtained from the diff-in-diff method, it is found that smokers tend to consume an average of 1.506 less cigarettes per day due to the law. This reducing effect leads to decrease of average daily cigarette consumption of smokers by approximately 8%.