Medicinal Cannabis is illegal in Turkey, and I don’t think I will ever see the legalisation of it. In this blog I will discuss the stigma around mental health in Turkey as well as the stigma and law around cannabis there.
Mental Health in Turkey
Being mentally ill in Turkey was very difficult for me as a child because it was never spoken about. Ever. Not in schools, not in public, not in homes, not even in hospitals, where there were incredibly high rates of self-harm and suicidal ideation in young people. A&E was full of teens who had hurt themselves purposefully, and children getting their stomachs pumped. I never knew mental health existed, until I was in my mid-teens through my own research. I had already spent my life ‘ill’ by then and seen the above a handful of times, been there myself even… There was no help and people didn’t know they needed it. It was called a ‘trend’, and I felt guilt for thinking that the feelings I felt were just ‘me joining in the crowd’, and it made me doubt myself.
Only after moving to a big city and spending thousands in a private hospital for each visit did I manage to find some help, and that was as a grown woman of the age of 22. Again, I’ve been ‘ill’ since about 7 years of age. 15 years without help.
The help I received was indeed fantastic though and the medication plan that my then doctor placed me on at the time is still my main medication plan, and British doctors have stated over and over again that it is not a treatment they would have ever thought of, so the innovation in that treatment plan I’m forever grateful for.
I was in a very fortunate position to know about mental health and I had my husband, who has also suffered from mental health difficulties in the past who understood, as well as one close friend, again in a similar position, to speak to. I was very fortunate that I was able to afford the private healthcare I received and access to the large hospitals required to find the ‘best’ professionals. Many will remain unaware of mental health, many will not have support systems, and many will not have the financial freedom to afford private healthcare.
Medication in Turkey
Most pharmaceuticals are so easy to access in Turkey, with an anti-psychotic being prescribed by my doctor with at the time, solely the diagnosis of depression. There was no consultant review or assessment required, and it was paired with an SSRI of a high dose. I was only 22 at the time and had never had therapy.
In the UK, it has taken me two years and countless sign-postings to obtain the same prescription, despite having proof that it previously worked for me.
Cannabis in Turkey
Cannabis in Turkey is severely frowned upon by the government and is illegal for possession, use, and cultivation. Medically and recreationally. Those who use cannabis are seen as ‘violent and aggressive drug users’ and famous Turkish rapper Ezhel was even sentenced to 1 year and 8 months in prison for ‘promoting’ drug use in his songs, in relation to cannabis. This caused a huge reaction by youth in Turkey, who started the #FreeEzhel movement. This sentence was later deferred for 5 years. It is very difficult to access for most members of the public, and the risks outweigh the benefit for most who would consider it for recreational use.
Medically, there are no prescriptions for cannabis in any form in Turkey and to be truthful, I don’t think I’ll ever see the legalisation. With current state of affairs, I only think that the chokehold the government has on the public in will increase.
Where do patients stand?
Turkey is starting to suffer with public healthcare availabilities and quality immensely with all who can afford to do so, going private. With the worsening economical situation, this is now less frequent and many are resorting back to public hospitals and with the private hospitals mainly focusing on international patients for medical tourism, there’s a lack of contingency in care and the quality is, from my patient perspective, poor most of the time. The doctors have a certain number of patients they legally have to see per day, often into the hundreds, depending on the department, so they are unable to spend time on their patients.
This leaves a lot of problems with failure of awareness for patients to receive the help they need, thus creating a lack of diagnosis, or even sufficient treatment following diagnosis if they are unable to afford consistent private healthcare.
So for the wide range of illnesses that Medicinal Cannabis can be used for, and have shown fantastic results for, patients are very much unaware of the possibilities, as are the professionals. Maybe it’s good for the public not to know because what you don’t know you can’t have can’t hurt you, right? But for the professionals, there should be some movement. For such a developed country in medical tourism, you would think further innovations would be flowed and celebrated.
International Patients
With Medicinal Cannabis being illegal in Turkey, international patients are also unable to medicate when visiting the country. Again, for a country that is so focused on tourism and of which is its main income, you would think that from a financial perspective alone, they would have considered this. This though, takes me back to my point about how stigmatised it is in the country and it’s likely that even for international patients, there is going to be a long wait ahead even for consideration. I personally believe that whilst the current government is still in power, which it has been for over 20 years now, there will be no positive movement at all.
From the pharmaceutical journey I have been on, I have a strong stance on countries leaving patients without their medication. Yes, there must be regulations and yes there must be sufficient proof; but simply stating somebody can not have their life-altering medication from your lack of knowledge is neglectful in my opinion and is taking away a human’s basic rights.
Turkey has seen an increase in the use of pharmaceutical anti-depressants, and the numbers have doubled alone in the past five years.
I fear for those unable to access this support, I fear for those who are unable to receive consistent and caring support, I fear for those who are treated as ‘weak’ or even referred to in slurs, by the government. I fear for those who are self-medicating and have found benefit in cannabis, I fear for those who dare bring this subject up in the country, especially in parliament. I fear for patients’ rights in Turkey, a country that boasts incredible technology and professionals in the healthcare sector…
Not all is as it seems.
Mental health and medicinal cannabis are deeply intertwined with societal stigma and governmental policies in Turkey. Both need urgent attention, not just for the sake of individuals suffering in silence, but for the nation as a whole to progress in how it supports its people. A country cannot claim to be advanced while leaving its most vulnerable without proper care or options for alternative treatments.
I would push for those to speak out, but the risks of doing so are nothing less than traumatic and terrifying, so please always place your safety above all else.
I have never used any helplines or organisations in Turkey for my mental health so I cannot provide any anecdotal information; but please seek help and remember the importance of consistency and your right to be healthy. Request medication changes if they’re not working for you, try to reduce the stigma on mental health and do not stay silent when derogatory terms are used. Help educate people but most importantly, help yourself be kind to you.
You may seem alone, but statistics show that almost 1 in 5 people in Turkey have a mental health condition so although the fight is silent, it’s still a fight. Remember, even in silence, you are part of a community, and together, every step forward is a victory in the fight for awareness and support.
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