News Desk
MALE’ — President Dr Mohamed Muizzu used World No Tobacco Day on Saturday to reaffirm his government’s commitment to tobacco control, pointing to two measures that have placed the Maldives ahead of most of the world on the issue.
The Maldives has banned e-cigarettes and become the first country in the world to implement a generational ban on tobacco, prohibiting anyone born after a 1 Jan 2007 from ever legally purchasing tobacco products. The generational ban, when fully enforced, means the tobacco market shrinks with each passing year until it effectively disappears.
“From banning e-cigarettes to becoming the first country in the world to implement a Generational Ban on Tobacco, we are taking decisive action to achieve this goal,” President Muizzu wrote on X.
The President said new threats were emerging alongside the established ones. Flavoured nicotine pouches, designed to appeal to younger users, and AI-driven marketing tactics targeting young people were among the concerns he flagged. He said the government would continue strengthening tobacco control measures, cessation services, smoke-free zones and legislative reforms in response.
The generational tobacco ban is among the more significant public health commitments the Maldives has made under the current administration. New Zealand attempted a similar policy before a subsequent government repealed it. The Maldives has held the position. On a day when most governments issue statements, the Maldives can point to legislation that no other country has yet matched.
