MALE, Maldives \u2014 The Maldives has made history by becoming the first country in the world to impose a generational smoking ban, making it illegal for anyone born after January 1, 2007, to smoke, buy, or sell tobacco.<\/p>\n
The law took effect on Saturday, with the Health Ministry calling it a \u201chistoric milestone in the nation\u2019s efforts to protect public health and promote a tobacco-free generation.\u201d The move cements the Maldives\u2019 global lead in the fight against tobacco use, the ministry said.<\/p>\n
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking kills more than seven million people worldwide each year. In the Maldives, a 2021 national survey showed that over 25% of adults aged 15\u201369 used tobacco, while the rate among teenagers aged 13\u201315 was nearly double.<\/p>\n
While the Maldives is the first to implement such a ban, other countries have explored similar measures. New Zealand passed a groundbreaking law in 2022 banning tobacco sales to those born after January 1, 2009, but the law was repealed in 2023 before it took effect. In the United Kingdom, a comparable bill \u2014 banning tobacco for anyone born after January 1, 2009 \u2014 is currently progressing through parliament.<\/p>\n
British health leaders have urged lawmakers to act quickly, warning that over 120,000 young adults have started smoking in the six months since the bill was last debated.<\/p>\n
The Maldives\u2019 anti-tobacco push has been years in the making. In late 2024, the government banned all vaping products, prohibiting their import, sale, and use regardless of age. Authorities now plan to expand anti-smoking clinics across the archipelago to help smokers quit, offering counseling and medication support.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, the president even proposed cash rewards for islands that become completely smoke-free, underscoring the government\u2019s determination to eliminate tobacco use from public life.<\/p>\n
With this bold move, the Maldives has set a global precedent \u2014 one that public health experts hope will inspire other nations to follow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MALE, Maldives \u2014 The Maldives has made history by becoming the first country in the world to impose a generational smoking ban, making it illegal for anyone born after January 1, 2007, to smoke, buy, or sell tobacco. The law took effect on Saturday, with the Health Ministry calling it a \u201chistoric milestone in the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,26],"tags":[81],"class_list":["post-50320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-and-education","category-south-asia","tag-headline"],"yoast_head":"\n