Turkey, despite its reputation as a country of smokers, has in recent years begun to institute stricter tobacco control measures. Beyond forbidding smoking indoors and in public places, new laws mandate that scenes of people smoking in movies or television shows be blurred out.
But anti-smoking advocates might be taking things too far. According to Today's Zaman, a Turkish trade organization is proposing Turkey change the name of "sigara boregi," a savory dish made by rolling phyllo dough around crumbled cheese and whose name means "cigarette pastry," because consuming it might encourage children and others to smoke. From the article:
The city of Sakarya is exerting efforts to change the name of the traditional Turkish “sigara böreği” (cigarette pastry) in order to discourage smoking.
The issue will be discussed at the next Council of Chairmen meeting of the Sakarya Union of Tradesmen and Artisans' Chambers (SESOB). Sakarya Restaurants Chamber Chairman Erdal Kurtuldu supports changing what is truly a household name in Turkey, saying: “We felt uncomfortable associating smoking with a food we love. It is time to think about changing the name.”
A new name for the popular pastry will be chosen by SESOB from suggestions posted by the public on the association's website.
Dr. Pınar Pazarlı, the manager of Sakarya University's (SAÜ) Medical-Social Center and vice chairman of the university's Tobacco Coordination Committee said that changing the name of the traditional pastry is especially important for children and young people. “We tell our children we are making ‘cigarette pastries.' And they love to eat these pastries. At some point, our children begin to ask, ‘What is a cigarette?' They become curious about smoking, and think, ‘I like cigarette pastries, maybe cigarettes are also like this.' There used to be cigarette candies and gum, which also encouraged smoking. To always be reminded of cigarettes is not a pleasant thing,” she said.
Full article here.
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