History
Tobacco was first introduced into Turkey
towards the end of the 16th Century. Although it is said that tobacco
originated from the East and had been in use from time to time, this was never proved as a
historical fact. Therefore the introduction of tobacco from the West was accepted as the
beginning of tobacco activities and its extensive consumption in Turkey.
At the outset tobacco encountered strong
opposition from the religious Judiciary who issued their opinions against the use of
tobacco, and consequently attempts were made to prohibit its consumption. Opposition
against tobacco slackened though over the years and in 1903 its consumption became wide - spread. In
1621 smoking was prohibited and in 1631 this law was enforced with grave penalties
inflicted on those who opposed this prohibition. After the death of Murad, IV, who was
bitterly against smoking and who imposed grave penalties to those who did not comply with
the ruling laid down by him, the prohibitions slackened and even the members of the
religious-judiciary community declared that there were no religious objections against
smoking.
Consumption of tobacco in Turkey was readily
accepted and during the initial years tobacco was imported from abroad. In 1683 a tax was
imposed for the first time on tobacco and its production in the country was officially
permitted. During the ensuing years different systems of taxation were applied to tobacco.
On the other hand tobacco production in the country progressed and it gradually reached a
high enough level to meet domestic demand and even to export. It is impossible to
determine the exact date when tobacco took its place among the export products of Turkey,
but it is known that this transaction started in the second half of the 18th
century and at the end of the 19th century it reached as far as America.
In conjunction with the above, selling and work
shops were established along the Golden Horn in Istanbul-being the base for imports- and
these enterprises formed the centre of the present day tobacco industry.
In 1862 a regulation was enforced prohibiting
the import of tobacco from abroad and both growers and owners of workshops well as
merchants were subject to a new tax system.
In 1874 an enactment regulated all production,
manufacturing and selling activities and a customs officer was appointed to each of the
said premises.
In 1884 the privilege of exploitation of the
tobacco monopoly was conveyed to a French Company by a charter for a period of 30 years.
This company improved the tobacco industry which until then was a rather scattered
organization ; tobacco factories and workshops in Istanbul, Izmir, Samsun and Adana were
also established. This charter which should have expired in 1914 was extended for another
period of 15 years by an agreement due to the Balkan War. In 1923 at the Congress of
Economics which convened in İzmir it was unanimously decided to abolish the concessions
of its operations were repealed by a Decree of the Cabinet Ministers on July 30,1924
whereby all its assets, rights and liabilities were transferred to the Government.
Subsequently on 26 February, 1926 a temporary
tobacco monopoly was created for a period of five years and by an Act decreed on June 6,
1930 tobacco activities and the scope of the Monopoly were defined and its management
entrusted entirely to the Government. The "Tobacco and Tobacco Monopoly Act" passed in
1938 relating to planting, buying, manufacturing and trading in tobacco, defines the
present provisions.