Mon Apr 14 17:01:43 UTC 2025: ## Maldives to Implement Generational Smoking Ban
**Malé, Maldives – April 14, 2025** – The Maldives will introduce a groundbreaking law on November 1, 2025, effectively banning smoking for future generations. The legislation will prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after January 2007, phasing out smoking over time. This ambitious move, announced by President Mohamed Muizzu’s office following a cabinet meeting, aims to eliminate smoking across the island nation.
While specific penalties for violating the law are yet to be detailed, the government is working to update existing tobacco control laws to align with the new regulations. This initiative follows the Maldives’ November 2024 increase in the legal smoking age from 18 to 21, and a ban on importing e-cigarettes and vaping devices.
The Maldives’ bold step contrasts with a similar, still-pending proposal in Britain and follows the short-lived implementation of a similar generational smoking ban in New Zealand, which was repealed in November 2023. The Maldives aims to become a leader in public health by significantly reducing smoking rates amongst its population.
First Piper 