Under the Auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye
Second Announcement
Protecting Children from Nicotine Addiction
Science • Policy • Society • Global Action
Istanbul, Türkiye | 4–6 November 2026
The rapid expansion of new nicotine products is creating an unprecedented threat to children and adolescents. Products containing a highly addictive psychoactive substance are increasingly marketed through flavours, colours, attractive packaging and sophisticated digital promotion that appeal directly to young people.
The public-health dangers of tobacco use and nicotine addiction are no longer in question. The evidence is clear, and the health consequences are well established.
The challenge before us now is to move beyond awareness and regulation and mobilise society as a whole. Protecting children from nicotine addiction requires education, prevention and engagement across every dimension of society — families, schools, healthcare professionals, policymakers, communities, civil society, youth organisations, the media and faith communities. We must equip the next generation with the knowledge and resilience to understand the risks, while creating environments in which nicotine addiction is prevented rather than normalised. This is not only a public-health responsibility; it is a responsibility shared by the whole of society.
The time has come not only to recognise this challenge, but to act together.
The 11th European Conference on Tobacco Control (ECTC) in Istanbul will mark an important new chapter for the global tobacco and nicotine control movement.
Organised by the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP) in partnership with the Turkish Green Crescent Society and the International Federation of Green Crescent (IFGC), under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (https://www.tccb.gov.tr/en/presidency/projects/), the conference will bring together the international scientific community, health professionals, policymakers, educators, youth organisations and civil society — and, for the first time, representatives of major faith communities — in a united effort to protect children from nicotine addiction.
This partnership represents a strategic step towards strengthening tobacco and nicotine control beyond Europe and at global level, connecting scientific evidence, public-health policy, prevention, community action and international cooperation.
The scope of the Istanbul conference reflects this broader ambition.Traditional and new international partners — including World Health Organization (WHO), European Respiratory Society (ERS), Global Network for Tobacco Free Healthcare Services (GNTH), Council of European Dentists (CED), Action on Smoking and Health-United States (ASH-US), CONTRE FEU France, Impact Unfiltered (IU) and many others — will bring their expertise and perspectives on the most urgent developments in tobacco and nicotine control worldwide.
And ENSPNext, the youth network, will bring something particularly important to Istanbul: the voice of the next generation. ENSPNext will present young people’s perspectives and launch its strategy for tobacco and nicotine control.
But Istanbul will be more than another conference!
The Istanbul Conference will confront the defining challenges of the new nicotine era: the aggressive expansion of e-cigarettes and new-generation nicotine products; the growing epidemic of nicotine addiction among children and adolescents; the urgent need to strengthen tobacco-control policies and accelerate implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC); the increasingly sophisticated strategies and interference of the tobacco and nicotine industry; and the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence both as powerful tools for prevention and as new battlegrounds for protecting young people from commercial influence. Above all, the conference will seek to strengthen international cooperation and build a truly global response to the rapidly evolving nicotine threat.
It must be the beginning of a new approach to a global problem.
A problem that is global requires a global response — one that brings together science, educational and health systems, governments, civil society, young people, communities and faith leaders.
We warmly invite you to join us in Istanbul and contribute to what we hope will become a landmark event for protecting children from nicotine addiction.
If you — or your organisation — have a role to play in global public health and education, you should be in the room.
Istanbul, 4–6 November 2026.
The 11th European Conference on Tobacco Control will take place at the iconic Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus. Recently renovated in 2026, Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus combines more than seven decades of international hospitality with newly redesigned rooms, modern event facilities, contemporary dining and social spaces, and an exceptional location in the heart of the city:
(Address: Harbiye, Cumhuriyet Cd. No:50, 34367 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye)There is still time to register and submit your scientific contribution:
Join us. Bring your evidence. Bring your experience. Bring your voice.
Together, let us protect the next generation from nicotine addiction.
For Registration and RSVP
Email: istanbul@ensp-ectc.org
Contact Number: +32 2 2306515
RSVP: https://ensp-ectc.org/
Co-Presidents of the 11th ECTC Conference
Professor Panagiotis Behrakis
President
European Network for Smoking and Tobacco
Prevention (ENSP)
H.E. Dr. Mehmet Güllüoğlu
Vice President
Turkish Green Crescent Society