A bit worrying for some of the xpats I would think

Nobody drinks alcohol?

Of course it's concerning.  But I couldn't determine if it is actual law or just a bill and if it is a federal or municipal law.  The Mrs and I enjoy an occasional wine 

@Gino_C You are planning, but when will you come, it would be great to see you as a real expat in Turkey (better in the Alanya area, but if different is also good)

The timing of my move depends on when my college student son graduates and establishes his independence.    He will be completing his junior year this spring.  So my move better happen sometime in 2025.

Naturally, I would love to connect with expats when I become an expat as well.  I enjoy meeting new people and sharing stories over a good bottle of whiskey or wine.  I haven't developed a taste for raki yet.

Just an observation for your consideration.

If limited alcohol is a worry, you really have something to worry about.

To give perspective, something similar happened in Indonesia about ten whatever years ago. Some expats and a very few locals got worried, then it happened and the world didn't end.

Just a thought

@Fred To give some perspective (genes I think), I am 61, my father died at 39, grandfathers both well before 60. Not doing to bad (relatively), some health concerns and of course one could ditch cigarettes and alcohol (and being very cynical ,living).

Sorry smoking is part of my life (3 packages per day (in Turkey it is still affordable)), alcohol it is more expensive (but only slightly over Hungary and Netherlands).

Restaurants I think 30% cheaper (it has become more and more expensive over the last 2 years)

When over 60, what is the use of life, just enjoy where you can. (Restaurants, Movies, Sex with your wife, Games (Rise of Thrones is my favorite), Chess on internet, ..) Nothing to complain really, being useful I miss a bit.

These times are over, no problem accepting getting old I suppose.

    @Fred To give some perspective (genes I think), I am 61, my father died at 39, grandfathers both well before 60. Not doing to bad (relatively), some health concerns and of course one could ditch cigarettes and alcohol (and being very cynical ,living).
Sorry smoking is part of my life (3 packages per day (in Turkey it is still affordable)), alcohol it is more expensive (but only slightly over Hungary and Netherlands).
Restaurants I think 30% cheaper (it has become more and more expensive over the last 2 years)
When over 60, what is the use of life, just enjoy where you can. (Restaurants, Movies, Sex with your wife, Games (Rise of Thrones is my favorite), Chess on internet, ..) Nothing to complain really, being useful I miss a bit.
These times are over, no problem accepting getting old I suppose.
   
    -@cdw057

61 is still young. I say that because I'm also 61.

I realised how stupid drinking was a lot of years ago.

As for smoking, I never started.

No drugs stronger than paracetamol.

My family generally live well into their 80s so I fully expect to remember you after you are in a position to remember anything (dependant on your chosen diety and/or beliefs).

If you're Buddhist, we can discuss this again in the next life but, assuming my very limited knowledge of that religion is accurate, I'm likely to be a slug or a rat.

If so, look for a sexual machine of a lower life form with extreme good looks, and that will be me.

Please note - The above was written without using alcohol, thus proving you can be really stupid without it.

@Fred

I will be 61 as well next month, so a lot of active 61 year olds around! 

From my perspective, restrictions of a commonly available and generally accepted product is unsettling even for those of us who are occasional drinkers.  I mostly drink a beer or some wine with my wife and sometimes whiskey to while away any angst caused by my wife. 

My first hand experience in this matter occurred when I started my first job after college in east Tennessee and after I had moved, I discovered it was a dry county.  Though as I mentioned I do not consume daily, it was a source of concern and a delight when my friend and I would make an occasional beer run to the next county over.  It's stupid and generally hyper hypocratical to outlaw any alcohol because we all know a very large part of the population consumes (not abuses) alcohol.

Cheers to everyone  🍺

My first hand experience in this matter occurred when I started my first job after college in east Tennessee and after I had moved, I discovered it was a dry county.  .......  It's stupid and generally hyper hypocratical to outlaw any alcohol because we all know a very large part of the population consumes (not abuses) alcohol.

Cheers to everyone  🍺
   

    -@Gino_C

The ban is probably a religious thing, but who knows ... or cares?

I believe, in the days I used alcohol, I would have checked before I moved. Ner, probably not because I usually went every summer without a drop because there were better things to do.

As for stupidity - Only in your opinion.

It's likely the majority of the population, probably agree with a ban. After all, the country is 99%  Muslim.

When it happened here, a lot of expats moaned, and non-Muslim area governments quacked, but they were looked after and nobody else cared.

I'd stopped bothering years before so I hardly noticed. Pretty much everyone I knew at the time were as bothered as I was - not at all.

Give it a few weeks after the ban and the story will fade into the fish and chip wrappers of news without consequence history.