• March 28, 2024

Youth camp policy for fighting addiction

Although Turkey had had success in fighting substance abuse, it remained one of the top 10 tobacco-using countries, according to a story in today’s Zaman quoting a report by the Turkish temperance organization Yeşilay.

The report, which includes data on a number of addictions, said Turkey had 16 million smokers above the age of 15.

Yeşilay complained of a lack of financial resources and a lack of interest within the private sector and nongovernmental organizations in being part of the solution to all forms of addiction.

A Yeşilay representative said the organization’s only regular income came from property rents, which was insufficient for the organization to realize its goals.

It has proposed the provision of counseling services that allow close contact with at-risk groups, guidance services, treatment centers, rehabilitation centers and youth camps, and it wants to be able to build its fieldwork capacity.