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The Maldives has implemented a groundbreaking nationwide generational tobacco prohibition, banning anyone born on or after January 1, 2007, from smoking tobacco. The archipelago's health ministry announced on Saturday that it would be illegal for these younger generations to use, buy, or sell tobacco within the country. This initiative makes the Maldives the only nation globally to enforce such a comprehensive measure, reflecting the government's "strong commitment to protecting young people from the harms of tobacco," the ministry stated.
Ahmed Afaal, vice chair of the archipelago's tobacco control board,said that the country's general vaping ban last year had been a "good step towards a generation of tobacco-free citizens".
The new ban "applies to all forms of tobacco, and retailers are required to verify age prior to sale", the health ministry said, adding that it aligned with the Maldives' obligations under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
According to the UN's health body, this convention "provides a global response to a global problem – namely, the tobacco epidemic". Mr Afaal said the country's crackdown on vaping had been an important first step because "these new stylish gadgets are tactics of the industry to approach the younger generations to uptake addictive processes, which definitely harms their health".
Last year, the Maldives made it illegal for anyone to import, sell, possess, use or distribute electronic cigarettes and vaping products, regardless of age.
Tourists coming to visit the Maldives' islands will also have to adhere to the law, but Mr Afaal argues the smoking ban will not have a detrimental impact on tourism.
"People don't come to the Maldives because they're able to smoke. They come for the beaches, they come for the sea, they come for the sun, and they come for the fresh air," he added.
Quoting tourism data, Mr Afaal argued that despite the new regulations there had been no tourist cancellations and the number of arrivals had grown in the past year.
"We're projecting more than 2m tourists in the next year," he said.
