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Alcohol laws of Turkey

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Alcohol laws of Turkey regulate the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Background

See also: Turkish_cuisine § Alcoholic_beverages

Alcohol consumption is 1.5 litres per person in Turkey, which is amongst the highest number in the Middle East.[1] Turkey is a secular country and even though most of the population is Muslim, the consumption of rakı which is an alcoholic beverage is a significant part of Turkey's food culture. Alcohol consumption was practiced widely in the Ottoman Empire. [citation needed]

Consumption measures

Age limits

The sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages is age limited to persons 18 and over.

Drunk-driving

Turkey's driving under the influence law gives a blood alcohol content limit of 0.05 mg/ml and 0 for commercial drivers. Breaching the limit is punishable with a six-month driving ban.[2][3]

Sales measures

Graffiti seen during the 2013 protests in Turkey, showing the words "At least 3 beers" (Turkish: En az 3 bira), a reference to the new alcohol restrictions and a government recommendation for families to have at least three children.[4][5]

Licensing

Licenses are required in Turkey to sell or serve alcohol including beer.[2] Alcohol can be sold in markets only between 06:00 and 22:00, and there is no time limit in restaurants and bars.[1] Student dormitories, health institutions, sports clubs, education institutions and filling stations are banned from selling alcohol. Alcohol can not be sold in less than 100 metres of distance from a school or a mosque.

Licenses are given by the local municipalities and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.[2]

Tax

See also: Taxation in Turkey

The high tax on the alcoholic beverages, called special consumption tax (Turkish: Özel Tüketim Vergisi or ÖTV), established first in 2002 and dramatically increased in 2010 by the government of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), whose leadership is known for their aversion to alcohol,.[6][7] For instance, the increase in prices of an average rakı, a traditional Turkish alcoholic beverage, was only slightly higher than the regular inflation, 204% to 206%, from 2003 when Justice and Development Party (AKP) came into the office until 2012. However, between 2013 and 2020, the average price of rakı has far more exceeded the inflation of commodity prices, 359% to 213%, due to the high tax rates.[8]

The high taxes on alcohol is related to a significant rise in smuggling and fraud involving alcoholic beverages in the country.[9] Bootlegging is blamed for the alcohol poisoning in Turkey, including 2011 Turkish Riviera mass alcohol poisoning and causality of at least 67 people to methyl alcohol poisoning in October 2020.[10]

Advertising and promotion

In 2013, new laws banned all forms of advertising and promotion for alcoholic beverages, including "promotions, sponsored activities, festivals and free giveaways."[2] Beverage companies ran ads criticizing the ban.[11][12]

The law also included a requirement to blur depictions of alcoholic beverages on television and in films, as was already done for cigarettes,[1] and for bottles to carry health warnings similar to tobacco packaging warning messages.[2]

A 2011 ban by the TAPDK on advertising in sports meant the basketball team Efes Pilsen had to change its name to Anadolu Efes S.K.[13]

Regulations

The laws were regulated by the Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority (TAPDK) until 24 December 2017. Since then the laws are regulated by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey.

Proposed new measures

A governmental act imposed in January 2011 restricted the sale of alcohol at certain events to persons under 24 years of age rather than 18 as it was previously established. However, the restriction was later overturned by the courts.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Constanze Letsch, The Guardian, 31 May 2013, Turkey alcohol laws could pull the plug on Istanbul nightlife
  2. ^ a b c d e Hurriyet Daily News, 24 May 2013, Turkish Parliament adopts alcohol restrictions, bans sale between 10 pm and 6 am
  3. ^ "BAC and BrAC Limits". IARD.org. International Alliance for Responsible Drinking. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Turkey's Islamist-rooted AKP to propose new bans on alcohol". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Turkish PM pushes for 'three children incentive'". Hürriyet Daily News. 10 February 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  6. ^ "AKP, alcohol, and government-engineered social change in Turkey". Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. 2010-05-10. Retrieved 2011-06-05.
  7. ^ "Turkish consumers dazed by another alcohol tax increase". Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. 2010-10-29. Retrieved 2011-06-05.
  8. ^ "Turkish boozers resist alcohol restrictions - sometimes at deadly risk". Al-Monitor The Pulse of the Middle East. 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  9. ^ "High alcohol, cigarette taxes in Turkey promote smuggling, fraud". Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. 2011-05-05. Retrieved 2011-06-05.
  10. ^ "Turkey: 67 died of alcohol poisoning in last 13 days". Anadolu Agency. 2011-10-21. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  11. ^ Bloomberg, 12 June 2013, Diageo Facing Raki Trouble in Turkey After Booze-Ad Ban
  12. ^ adage.com 1 June 2013, Alcohol Marketers Say Farewell to Ads In Turkey--With Ads
  13. ^ Announcement Archived 2012-03-24 at the Wayback Machine, efesbasket.org
  14. ^ "Russian woman has died in Turkey from poisoning by counterfeit alcohol". World News – Russian opinion. 2011-05-30. Archived from the original on 2011-08-22. Retrieved 2011-06-05.
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