Addictions to tobacco, alcohol, drugs and gambling cost Türkiye’s economy an estimated $78 billion annually, the Green Crescent anti-addiction group said in a report released on Friday.
The study, Addiction Economy: The Economic Cost of Tobacco, Alcohol, Gambling and Drug Addiction in Türkiye, was unveiled at a press conference in Istanbul by Green Crescent President Mehmet Dinç, alongside Audit Board Chair Seyithan Ahmet Ateş and board member Hüseyin Hayri Nuroğlu.
“Addictions not only darken individuals’ lives but also cause great harm to Türkiye’s economy,” Dinç said. He cited links to workforce losses, health costs, social unrest, crime and violence, adding that gambling addiction was particularly high due to the rapid growth of online platforms.
The report estimated annual economic losses at $24 billion from tobacco, $9 billion from alcohol, $5 billion from drugs and $40 billion from gambling. Tobacco-related health costs alone amount to 2.2% of gross domestic product, it said, with cigarette sales rising 39% in the past two decades. Cigarette-related fires caused an estimated $4 billion in damages in Istanbul alone last year, the report added.
Beyond quantifying losses, the study suggested that the funds could finance 154 new city hospitals, housing for more than half a million families, free tablets for 18 million students, 15,000 km of high-speed rail, electricity for 40 million homes, or restoration of 1,000 historic sites.
The research, led by Ateş of Ankara Social Sciences University, forms part of the Green Crescent’s “Independence Mobilization” campaign, launched in 2024 to protect youth from addiction and reduce its economic impact.