By Azerbaijan.US Editorial Board
During a recent visit to Istanbul, an ordinary evening meeting with friends turned into an unexpected observation about changing social habits. Finding a smoke-free café proved difficult, even in places presented as open-air venues. What stood out most was not the presence of smoking itself, but how normalized it appeared among very young people – particularly young women – in everyday social settings.
Friends noted that similar patterns, though less pronounced, are increasingly visible in Azerbaijan as well. Urban cafés and social spaces are gradually absorbing habits that were once more clearly regulated or socially discouraged. For an outside observer, this may seem like a minor lifestyle issue. Locally, however, it reflects a broader shift in how public health, family responsibility, and social boundaries are perceived.
From an international perspective, Turkey has recently taken a more assertive approach to combating substance abuse networks, including measures that target influential and well-connected figures rather than only marginalized groups.
This has been widely interpreted as an attempt to restore public trust and signal that enforcement applies across social strata. The contrast between strict state action in some areas and everyday tolerance in others is striking.
In Azerbaijan, debates around smoking often focus on regulation rather than social behavior. Legislative steps – such as restrictions on electronic cigarettes – demonstrate institutional awareness of health risks. Yet regulation alone rarely changes habits without broader societal engagement. Cafés operating near schools, informal smoking zones, and weak enforcement illustrate the limits of legal tools when social acceptance quietly expands.
The issue is not about imposing moral judgments, but about understanding long-term implications. Smoking patterns among young people tend to shape future public health outcomes, healthcare costs, and social norms. In many countries, these concerns are addressed through a combination of regulation, public education, and community pressure rather than prohibition alone.
This perspective is shared by Fazil Mustafa, a member of Azerbaijan’s parliament, who frames the discussion not as a question of personal freedom, but as one of collective responsibility. His argument is not that society lacks laws, but that it increasingly lacks informal mechanisms of restraint – family dialogue, social disapproval, and shared expectations.
The normalization of smoking in public spaces may appear gradual and unremarkable. Yet social norms tend to shift quietly before their consequences become visible.
For countries navigating rapid urbanization and cultural change, the challenge lies in recognizing these shifts early – and deciding whether silence itself has become a form of consent.
