2024-25 Fall Semester Opening Lecture Delivered by Prof. Sevil Atasoy

İzmir University of Economics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences hosted Prof. Sevil Atasoy, Vice Rector of Üsküdar University and an expert in Forensic Sciences, to give the opening lecture for the 2024-25 Fall Semester. Atasoy delivered a lecture titled “Turkey’s Fight Against Addiction.” 

In her speech, Prof. Sevil Atasoy first highlighted the persistent efforts of drug trafficking networks to create constant demand and new users. She stressed that drug use in Turkey has reached alarming levels, even affecting children in primary school. She also pointed to the importance of international agreements, specifically the United Nations’ International Drug Control Conventions signed in 1961, 1971, and 1988, as a global framework for combating addiction. However, she emphasized that legal penalties, even severe ones such as capital punishment, are insufficient in curbing drug use. She noted that addiction is a complex issue that must be addressed from psychological, social, and economic perspectives.

Prof. Atasoy explained that addiction is a lifelong brain disorder requiring continuous treatment. She warned against the dangerous misconception that “trying once won’t hurt,” stating that individuals react differently to substances depending on their genetic predispositions. With the rise of synthetic drugs like methamphetamine and genetically modified cannabis, she underlined the critical importance of saying no to drug offers, even from close friends, and setting firm boundaries.

In a personal safety message to the youth, Prof. Atasoy advised them to be cautious about consuming drinks or food that may be tampered with, saying, “Do not drink any beverage or consume any food product that hasn’t been opened in front of you.”

Following an engaging Q&A session, the event concluded with a plaque presentation by Vice Rectors Prof. Gözde Yazgı Tütüncü and Prof. Aslı Ceylan Öner, and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Prof. Neslihan Yetkiner, who thanked Prof. Sevil Atasoy for her valuable contribution.