Maldives enforces world's first generational smoking ban for anyone born after 2007

The Maldives has officially begun enforcing a landmark smoking ban on Saturday, prohibiting anyone born after January 1, 2007, from purchasing or using tobacco products.

The Health Ministry announced that the new law, which took effect on November 1, positions the island nation as the only country in the world with a generational prohibition on tobacco use.

Introduced earlier this year by President Mohamed Muizzu, the initiative aims to safeguard public health and nurture a tobacco-free generation. According to the ministry, the restriction covers all tobacco products, and retailers are obligated to verify a buyer’s age before completing a sale.

The law extends not only to citizens but also to visitors across the Maldives’ 1,191 coral islands, a destination famed for its high-end tourism.

In addition to the tobacco restrictions, the government continues to enforce a nationwide ban on the import, sale, possession, and use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices, regardless of age.

Violations carry stiff penalties: selling tobacco to anyone under the legal age incurs a fine of 50,000 rufiyaa (about $3,200), while using vaping products can result in a 5,000 rufiyaa ($320) penalty.

Globally, similar measures have been debated or reversed. The United Kingdom is still considering a generational smoking ban, while New Zealand—once the first nation to pass such legislation—repealed its law in late 2023, less than a year after introducing it.