Turkey Quitline — ALO 171

Frequently asked questions

Is there a national quitline in Turkey?

Yes. ALO 171, the Sigara Bırakma Danışma Hattı, is the national stop-smoking advice line run by the Turkish Ministry of Health. You reach it by dialling 171. Live advisers give information about the harms of smoking, measure your nicotine dependence and help you plan a quit attempt.

Source: T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı — ALO 171 Sigara Bırakma Danışma Hattı , Halk Sağlığı Genel Müdürlüğü — ALO 171 Sigara Bırakma Danışma Hattı

Is help to quit smoking free in Turkey?

Calling ALO 171 is free from landlines; calls from mobile phones are billed at your operator's standard tariff. The support itself costs nothing, and at the Ministry of Health's smoking-cessation clinics both the consultation and the quit-smoking medication are provided free of charge.

Source: Halk Sağlığı Genel Müdürlüğü — ALO 171 Sigara Bırakma Danışma Hattı , ALO 171 — Sigara Bırakma Poliklinikleri

When can I call ALO 171?

ALO 171 operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (7/24), with live operators rather than a recorded message. You can call at any time, including nights and weekends, to ask about quitting or to be put through to a clinic.

Source: T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı — ALO 171 Sigara Bırakma Danışma Hattı , Halk Sağlığı Genel Müdürlüğü — ALO 171 Sigara Bırakma Danışma Hattı

What in-person help and medication are available?

ALO 171 can refer you to a smoking-cessation clinic (sigara bırakma polikliniği) and book the appointment for you. These clinics, run through the public health system, examine you and prescribe medication to help you quit. Citizens are not charged for the examination or the medicines.

Source: ALO 171 — Sigara Bırakma Poliklinikleri , WHO — Tobacco MPOWER: Offer help to quit

How does the ALO 171 call-back and follow-up work?

When you join the programme, advisers assess your dependence with the Fagerström test and agree a personal plan with you. After that, ALO 171 calls you back at intervals over a full year — typically around the first week and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 12th months — to check on your progress and keep you supported.

Source: Halk Sağlığı Genel Müdürlüğü — ALO 171 Sigara Bırakma Danışma Hattı