The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that 225 people successfully quit smoking in 2025 as the Maldives continues efforts to reduce tobacco use through stricter regulations and cessation programmes.

Figures reported show that 187 of those who quit smoking were from the Greater Malé region, while 38 were from the atolls. A total of 1,045 individuals sought smoking cessation services during the year, including 982 men and 63 women. Of those, 580 received treatment in the Greater Malé region.

The current Administration has introduced a number of measures aimed at reducing tobacco consumption, including higher duties on cigarettes and a nationwide ban on vape products. 

In November 2024, President Dr Muizzu ratified the First Amendment to the Tobacco Control Act, enforcing a complete ban on the import, sale, free distribution and use of electronic cigarettes and vaping devices, while strengthening regulations on conventional tobacco. Smoking was also prohibited in all Government buildings and premises, with businesses facing fines, permit suspension or temporary licence loss for violations. Retailers must verify age for every purchase and are prohibited from selling tobacco to anyone under 21 or involving minors in tobacco-related work.

The Administration further advanced the policy with a generational ban through the Second Amendment to the Act, which came into effect on 1 November 2025. Under the amendment, anyone born on or after 1 January 2007 is permanently prohibited from purchasing or using tobacco, positioning the Maldives among the most progressive public health jurisdictions.

Authorities have described the generational ban as a major step in long-term tobacco control efforts, with the Maldives becoming one of the first countries in the world to adopt such a policy to create a tobacco-free generation.