With Cabinet backing, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has moved forward with a generational ban on the sale and use of tobacco products for all individuals born on or after January 1, 2007, as part of a major public health policy aimed at reducing tobacco use in the Maldives.

The decision was made during the Cabinet meeting held on Sunday, and was later announced by the President’s Office. According to the announcement, the ban will prohibit buying, selling, and smoking tobacco products for the affected age group.

To implement the ban, the Government will introduce amendments to existing laws and regulations. The new policy will come into force on November 1, 2025, following a six-month period after the ratification of the relevant legislative changes.

The Government also plans to expand tobacco cessation services, with the Ministry of Finance and Planning directed to provide the Ministry of Health with the necessary support to strengthen these efforts.

Ahead of the Cabinet meeting, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu shared a message via X, emphasising the urgent need to reduce tobacco use in the country. He cited findings from the Maldives Health Statistics Survey 2022, which identified tobacco as the leading cause of non-communicable diseases and disability.

The President also highlighted that 84 per cent of deaths in the Maldives are attributed to tobacco-related diseases, calling the figure alarmingly high. Referring to a 2011 national survey, he stated that 21.8 per cent of youth aged 15 to 29 use tobacco. Additionally, the Global Youth Tobacco Survey found that 40 per cent of school-age children are using tobacco or nicotine products in some form.

President Dr Muizzu noted that 30.1 per cent of the Maldivian population was born on or after January 1, 2007, and stressed the importance of protecting this generation from tobacco addiction.

In the lead-up to the Cabinet decision, a public poll was conducted on the social media platform X, seeking citizen input on the appropriate age threshold for the ban.