Key Takeaways
- Existing vape and e-cigarette prohibition remains in effect
- Maldives bans tobacco for anyone born after January 1, 2007
- First country worldwide to implement generational smoking ban
The Maldives has become the first Muslim-majority country and first nation worldwide to implement a complete generational tobacco ban, prohibiting anyone born after January 1, 2007 from ever purchasing, smoking, or using tobacco products.
The legislation took effect Saturday, with full enforcement by the Health Ministry.
The South Asian archipelago nation now requires retailers to verify customer age before tobacco sales, permanently blocking access for the generation born after the 2007 cutoff date.
The prohibition covers all tobacco forms, building upon existing bans against vapes and electronic cigarettes that apply to all citizens regardless of age.
Health authorities described the measure as addressing a public health challenge in the nation of approximately 500,000 people.
World Health Organization data indicates about 25 percent of Maldivians over age 15 consume tobacco, with usage rates approaching 50 percent among youth aged 13-15 according to 2021 surveys.
The WHO classifies tobacco as responsible for nearly seven million global deaths annually, describing the “tobacco epidemic” among history’s most severe public health threats.