Turkey and TRNC step up joint struggle in opposition to habit
Sep 18, 2026 7:50 pm
Ibrar Younas
101
Turkey and the TRNC are stepping up their joint struggle in opposition to medication, playing and know-how habit, with officers stressing the necessity for early motion earlier than the issue develops right into a wider social disaster.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz outlined new measures on the TRNC Symposium on Combating Habit in Lefkoşa on Thursday, attended by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and senior officers from each nations.
A key announcement was plans for a Household Assist Centre and Social Companies Centre in Lefkoşa, with roughly 50 million TL (round €1 million) earmarked below the 2026 Turkey-TRNC Financial and Monetary Cooperation Settlement.
The challenge, at the moment within the preparation stage, will present schooling, steering and counselling providers to households, together with these affected by habit.
Yılmaz warned that habit was turning into more and more complicated, with on-line playing, digital betting, digital gaming and extreme know-how use rising alongside extra established issues involving medication and tobacco.
“Addictions instantly goal the minds of our youngsters, our household construction and our social future,” he stated.
He pressured that the precedence ought to be figuring out dangers and intervening earlier than habit takes maintain, slightly than ready till individuals require therapy and rehabilitation.
Joint motion
Turkey is supporting the TRNC Police Narcotics and Anti-Smuggling Directorate with autos, technical tools and IT sources, whereas cooperation with Ankara College covers coaching, toxicology and wastewater evaluation.
Wastewater monitoring might help determine altering patterns of drug consumption and supply an early warning of rising traits.
Yılmaz stated Turkey would proceed sharing its expertise in prevention, therapy and rehabilitation whereas tailoring cooperation to the wants of North Cyprus.
He stated the variety of specialised habit therapy centres in Turkey had risen from 30 in 2014 to 145 in 2026, with prevention programmes more and more concentrating on kids of faculty age.
TRNC spending will increase
The TRNC Prime Ministry’s Anti-Drug Fee, established in 2014, has additionally acquired a major funding improve.
Its funds rose from 35 million TL (round €625,000) in 2025 to 63 million TL (round €1.1 million) this 12 months.
Its schooling and consciousness programmes reached 5,381 individuals throughout 2025-26, whereas 218 individuals took half in programmes linked to probation.
The 1191 counselling hotline affords recommendation and early referral, whereas the “Yanındayız, Güvendesin” platform gives info and help on points together with cyberbullying and habit.
The Ali Rıza Vuruşkan Youngster and Household Schooling and Counselling Centre in Lefkoşa’s previous metropolis additionally helps susceptible kids and their households.
Give attention to prevention
Yılmaz stated combating habit couldn’t be left to the police or well being authorities alone and required coordinated motion involving colleges, social providers, universities, native authorities, civil society and households.
He additionally highlighted Üstel’s involvement, saying coordination via the Prime Ministry can be necessary in making certain completely different companies labored in the direction of widespread targets.
The emphasis, he stated, should more and more be on prevention and early detection as new types of habit emerge.
“The safety of the youngsters of the Turkish Cypriot individuals from each type of habit is a accountability we feature in the direction of our widespread future,” Yılmaz stated.
