29.08.2025 07:21
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Turkey's economy loses $78 billion due to smoking, gambling, alcohol and drug addiction
According to Turkey's Green Crescent Society (Yeşilay), addiction to tobacco, alcohol, gambling and drugs costs the country's economy an estimated $78 billion a year. The report, presented at a press conference in Istanbul, provided dire information about the financial and social consequences of addiction. It said the problem poses a serious threat not only to the health of individual citizens, but also to family stability and the future of the state.
Big losses
The report, "Economy of Addiction: The Economic Cost of Tobacco, Alcohol, Gambling, and Drugs in Turkey," lists the direct and indirect costs to the national economy. In particular, the Turkish economy:
tobacco — about $24 billion,
alcohol — $9 billion,
drugs — $5 billion,
$40 billion is being lost due to gambling addiction.
The total damage is estimated at 3.1 trillion Turkish liras. This includes not only the purchase of goods or services, but also healthcare costs, reduced productivity, accidents, crime, and many other negative factors.
The report also highlights the non-financial consequences of addiction. The cost of treating diseases caused by smoking alone is equivalent to 2.2 percent of GDP.
Unfortunately, over the past 20 years, cigarette consumption among the population has increased by 39 percent, from 108 billion to 150 billion cigarettes per year.
Turkey consumes 1.3 billion liters of alcohol per year, costing the country $5.5 billion in direct costs. 22 percent of traffic accidents are caused by drunk driving, costing the economy $15 billion.
Gambling (especially online casinos) was listed as the most dangerous addiction. It leads not only to financial losses, but also to the breakdown of families, debt, fraud, and an increase in crime.
