News Desk
From the street, it has the polished look of a trendy cafe. The glass is frosted, and beside an unnoticeable sign is one declaring, discernibly: “Only for 18 and Above.” People park their motorbikes outside, ducking in and out with unmistakable haste — a familiar customer base. This is one of more than 18 shops in the Maldives peddling electronic cigarettes.
As the world marks World No Tobacco Day, the Maldives is grappling with a stubbornly high rate of smoking that is inflicting a deadly toll on this island nation.
One in four Maldivians, or 25.7 percent of the population, smoke cigarettes, according to government figures. The rate is even higher among men, with over one-third, or 35.6 percent, using tobacco products.
The consequences are dire: annually, about 150 Maldivians die from diseases caused by smoking, the Health Ministry said, including lung cancer, strokes, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses. “About one person dies every two days due to diseases caused by tobacco use,” statements made by officials quoting the World Health Organization.
The economic costs are punishing as well. The country’s universal health insurance scheme, Aasandha, is strained by hefty expenditures treating tobacco-related diseases. The ministry warned that productivity and development are being undermined by “the growing young population suffering from these diseases.”
Given the population of the Maldives, the number of diseases that require long-term illness and high treatment costs is increasing, the ministry said. The ministry emphasized that the rise in such conditions among the youth and middle-aged people is a matter of grave concern.
The Maldives imports 400 million cigarettes annually, ensuring a steady supply of tobacco products despite their significant health risks.
According to previous statistics from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 3.1 percent of children use shisha or gudguda. Of these, 14.9 percent had newly smoked shisha or gudguda at a young age.
There is also a high proportion of children who smoke in the Maldives. According to the HPA, 45.7 percent of children between the ages of 13 and 15 use various types of tobacco. Of this, 48 percent are boys and 43.2 percent are girls. At the same time, 17.1 percent of children in that age group use electronic cigarettes, with 23.1 percent being boys and 10.7 percent girls.
As the Maldives continues to combat its tobacco epidemic, the rising popularity of e-cigarettes adds a complex layer to public health efforts. These discreetly alluring dens may seem innocuous, but their proliferation underscores a troubling trend in a nation already grappling with the severe health and economic impacts of tobacco use.
