On World No Tobacco Day, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu reaffirmed a sweeping generational agenda to rid the Maldives of tobacco — underscoring reforms already enacted and laying out the next phase of action.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu used the occasion of World No Tobacco Day to issue a strong reaffirmation of his administration’s tobacco control agenda, pledging that protecting Maldivian youth from nicotine addiction remains a non-negotiable priority of his government.
The statement came as the Maldives continues to cement its place as a global pioneer in tobacco legislation. The country became the first nation in the world to enforce a generational ban on tobacco, a landmark policy that took effect on 1 November last year and permanently bars anyone born after 2007 from ever legally purchasing or using tobacco products.
“From banning e-cigarettes to becoming the first country in the world to implement a Generational Ban on Tobacco, we are taking decisive action.”
The administration’s reforms have been both broad and methodical. Import duties on tobacco have been raised significantly, reducing the affordability of cigarettes and other tobacco products. The minimum legal purchasing age was lifted from 18 to 21. And mandatory health warning labels detailing the specific level of danger of each product are now required on all tobacco imports sold in the Maldives.
Looking ahead, President Muizzu flagged new and emerging threats including flavoured nicotine pouches that appeal to young users and AI-driven marketing campaigns specifically targeting adolescents. The government has signalled it will move to regulate these aggressively, alongside strengthening cessation support services and formally expanding no-smoking zones across the country.
“As new threats emerge, we will remain vigilant. We will strengthen tobacco control measures, cessation services, smoke-free jurisdictions, and legislative reforms.” – President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, 31 May 2026
First Lady Sajidha Mohamed echoed the President’s message, urging collective responsibility. Noting that Maldivian youth “deserve the chance to be free from nicotine addiction,” she called on all citizens to sustain the momentum through awareness, education, and community action.
The announcements coincided with the launch of a new five-year national campaign to curb tobacco use, unveiled at the President’s Office on 31 May — signalling that the administration intends to keep anti-tobacco efforts firmly on the national agenda well into the next decade.
With the WHO estimating that tobacco use costs the Maldives significantly in avoidable healthcare expenditure each year, advocates say the government’s legislative push is both timely and economically sound — and positions the Maldives as a model for small island states grappling with high smoking rates.
