Cairo: Hani Kamal El-Din
In a dramatic public health failure, the Turkish city of Lice (Diyarbakir province) has found itself at the center of a growing crisis after a police-led operation to incinerate confiscated cannabis triggered what experts now call a mass poisoning event. The smoke from over 20 tons of marijuana, burned in open air and within city limits, swept across residential neighborhoods, exposing 25,000 residents to harmful fumes with severe and lingering effects.
🚨 A Public Safety Operation Gone Wrong
According to local reports, the cannabis was part of a large haul seized by Turkish authorities during anti-narcotics operations conducted between 2023 and 2024. Rather than transporting the material to specialized waste facilities, officials opted to burn the entire cache on the outskirts of Lice—an area still well within range of residential districts.
The result: a thick, pungent cloud of toxic cannabis smoke that blanketed the city for several days. Instead of eliminating a threat, authorities created a new one—one that affected thousands of civilians, many of them children.
👨👩👧👦 Children Sickened, Windows Sealed, City Paralyzed
“The air has been unbearable. We haven’t opened our windows in days,” said one resident interviewed by Turkish media outlet Tele1. “Our children are sick, and we’ve been forced to go to the hospital repeatedly.”
Local hospitals have seen a surge in patients presenting symptoms consistent with inhalation of psychoactive smoke: dizziness, nausea, hallucinations, respiratory irritation, and fatigue. For many residents, the symptoms have persisted, leading doctors to warn of possible long-term health effects.
🧪 Experts Slam ‘Amateur’ Approach to Hazardous Disposal
Environmental scientists and public health experts have condemned the decision to burn the cannabis in open air without any filtration systems or risk assessments.
“This should have never happened,” said one environmental toxicologist from Istanbul. “There are internationally accepted methods for the safe disposal of narcotics—methods that involve high-temperature incineration in controlled environments with filtration for chemical byproducts. What happened in Lice was reckless and dangerous.”
🌍 From Crime Fighting to Environmental Disaster
The operation, intended to demonstrate strength in the fight against narcotics, has instead highlighted a glaring weakness in Turkey’s emergency planning and environmental oversight.
Many are now asking why there were no preemptive evacuations, no environmental impact studies, and no engagement with public health officials. The smoke was not only uncontained—it was unmonitored.
🧭 No Official Apology, No Accountability
Days after the event, no official apology or formal health advisory has been issued by the Turkish Ministry of Health or Interior. Local government representatives have remained silent, despite mounting pressure from opposition politicians, media, and NGOs.
The lack of transparency has only worsened public anger. Residents are demanding accountability and medical compensation, and some are considering legal action.
🗣️ Public Outcry Mounts as Trust Erodes
Civil rights groups have joined the call for a full investigation into the incident, urging the government to adopt internationally recognized safety protocols for future operations. Social media in Turkey is ablaze with hashtags such as #LiceSmokeDisaster and #PublicHealthFirst, as frustration mounts over what many describe as a completely avoidable environmental and public health catastrophe.
