First lady Emine Erdoğan marked Feb. 9, World Stop Smoking Day, with a poignant message urging global action against the scourge of tobacco addiction, underscoring its detrimental impact on both human health and the environment.

Taking to her social media platform on Friday, Erdoğan highlighted alarming statistics, revealing that over 8 million lives are lost to tobacco-related illnesses worldwide each year. She drew attention to the pervasive presence of cigarette butts, the most common form of toxic waste littering streets and beaches, emphasizing that it takes a staggering 10 years for them to decompose.

"I hope that every individual, especially our children and young people, will be freed from the captivity of these products, whose smoke may vary but contains the same poison," Erdoğan emphasized, urging a collective effort to combat tobacco addiction.

In her post, Erdoğan expressed concern over the rising popularity of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, warning of their environmental and health hazards as non-recyclable, hazardous waste.

Accompanying her message was a video excerpt from her speech at the United Nations General Assembly on March 30, International Zero Waste Day, reaffirming her commitment to environmental sustainability and advocating for responsible waste management practices.