Turkey warned of a serious drug crisis after the Global Drug Enforcement Union revealed that the number of drug addicts in the country exceeded 10 million people in 2024 and rose to about 15 million in 2025, with a drop in the age of users to early childhood.
Khaled Toraq, the president of the Global Drug Enforcement Union, pointed out that the age of onset has decreased alarmingly, especially among those under 18 years old, reaching 12 years in some cases. Studies have shown that some cases of drug use are not limited to suppressing emotions but extend to sexual purposes, especially among higher-income groups.
Toraq added that about 90% of users under 18 years old are drawn into drug networks against their will, where they start with addiction before being exploited in crimes of selling and transporting, while girls are forced into prostitution, and boys are pushed into committing violent crimes such as arson and armed robbery.
This data coincides with ongoing judicial investigations in Istanbul about drugs, which involve some famous personalities, bringing the issue of usage back to the forefront of public debate.
In turn, the Turkish Vice-President, Gudet Yilmaz, emphasized during a summit for civil society organizations the need to coordinate the efforts of the state, civil society, and families in combating addiction, and to work on establishing a comprehensive framework for the period 2024-2028 through three national strategies to confront this crisis.
With its geographical location as a link between Europe and Asia, Turkey represents a major route for drug smuggling, making it prone to an increase in the number of users.
Studies indicate that the decrease in the age of drug use reflects poor family and school monitoring in facing this challenge, in addition to the influence of social media and urban openness environments on youth.
This situation is part of a global crisis, where most countries face similar challenges in protecting children and adolescents from drug networks, highlighting the importance of early preventive strategies.
