- The Maldives is the first country to impose a permanent smoking ban on anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2007 (currently 18 or younger), prohibiting them from ever buying, using or being sold tobacco products.
- The ban includes mandatory age verification for retailers and applies to all tobacco products – though smuggling remains a major challenge, with black-market vapes and cigarettes still widely available.
- Unlike New Zealand, which repealed a similar generational ban in 2023, the Maldives has pushed forward, earning praise from public health advocates including First Lady Sajidha Mohamed, who called it a "historic step."
- About 25 percent of Maldivian adults smoke, and nearly half of teens (13-15) use tobacco. Heavy taxes have driven cigarette prices to $16 per pack, while vaping is already completely banned. Smoking-related deaths account for 12 percent of annual fatalities in the island nation.
- The ban aligns with WHO tobacco control efforts, but enforcement difficulties – especially in a tourism-heavy economy – raise doubts about effectiveness.
The Maldives has made history as the first nation in the world to impose a generational ban on smoking, effectively prohibiting anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2007 – currently aged 18 or younger – from ever purchasing, using or being sold tobacco products.
The groundbreaking measure that took effect on Saturday, Nov. 1, applies to all forms of tobacco and includes strict enforcement mechanisms – such as mandatory age verification by retailers. The ban, ratified by Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, represents a dramatic escalation in tobacco control efforts. It underscores the island nation's aggressive stance against tobacco-related harm, particularly among youth, while raising questions about enforcement challenges and the global feasibility of such policies.
The Maldives' generational smoking ban surpasses even New Zealand's short-lived attempt at a similar prohibition. Wellington's proposed law in 2022, which would have barred tobacco sales to anyone born after 2009, was repealed in 2023 to fund tax cuts.
Nevertheless, the island nation has pushed forward with its own version, earning praise from public health advocates. Maldivian First Lady Sajidha Mohamed hailed the policy as a "historic step" and a "bold, evidence-based" investment in future generations. Yet, despite the government's optimism, reports suggest that smuggled tobacco and vaping devices remain widely available – casting doubt on the ban's immediate effectiveness.
The Maldives, a nation of roughly half a million people, already enforces a total ban on vaping products and has doubled cigarette import taxes. The levies have driven prices to $16 per pack – a steep cost in a country where an estimated 25 percent of adults smoke. Among teenagers aged 13 to 15, nearly half use some form of tobacco, with social media influencers often glamorizing the habit.
Will the Maldives' bold move work?
Smoking-related deaths account for 12 percent of annual fatalities in the Maldives, a statistic the government hopes to drastically reduce. By comparison, the United States sees approximately 480,000 smoking-linked deaths each year (15 percent of total deaths), while the United Kingdom reports around 75,000 (13 percent).
Enforcement remains a critical hurdle. Ahmed Nazim, deputy speaker of the People's Majlis (Maldives' parliament), has warned that smuggled tobacco and vapes are still "sold openly through social media" – with black-market vapes often cheaper than legal cigarettes. The Maldives Independent has documented cases of large-scale cigarette smuggling, including seizures from oil tankers and unauthorized clearances from customs-regulated warehouses.
The Maldives' ban aligns with the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which 57 countries have ratified. But the challenges Male faces with regard to smoking and tobacco smuggling highlight the difficulties of implementing such sweeping prohibitions, particularly in a tourism-dependent economy that welcomes two million visitors annually – many of whom may unknowingly violate the new rules.
"Generational smoking bans are important because they protect future generations from the deadly health consequences and financial burdens of tobacco addiction," explains BrightU.AI's Enoch engine. "By preventing youth from ever starting, these bans ensure a healthier, longer-lived population free from Big Tobacco's predatory influence."
While the policy sets a global precedent, its long-term success hinges on rigorous enforcement and cultural shifts away from tobacco dependence. As other nations watch closely, a pressing question remains. Will the Maldives' bold experiment inspire similar action worldwide, or will it succumb to the same logistical and black-market pressures that have undermined past attempts?
Watch this clip about the health benefits of quitting smoking, alongside tips on how to drop the habit.
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