Maldives: The country of Maldives has officially rolled out a landmark generational ban on smoking, becoming the only country in the world to prohibit anyone born after January 2007 from buying or using tobacco.
The policy, announced earlier this year by President Mohamed Muizzu, came into force on 1 November as part of a national push to build a tobacco-free future.
The health ministry said the move aims to safeguard public health and create a generation free from the harms of tobacco. Under the new rules, anyone born on or after 1 January 2007 is barred from purchasing, consuming, or being sold tobacco products across the island nation. The ban covers all tobacco forms and requires retailers to verify age before making a sale.
Today we take a historic step towards a tobacco-free Maldives. As a healthcare advocate, I applaud the Government’s leadership in launching the Generational Ban on Tobacco, a powerful investment in the wellbeing of generations to come. This is a bold, evidence-based step to break…
— First Lady Sajidha Mohamed (@sajidhaamohamed) November 1, 2025
The restrictions also extend to tourists, reinforcing the Maldives’ stance despite being a global travel hub. Officials noted that the country already has a sweeping prohibition on importing, selling, distributing, possessing, and using electronic cigarettes and vaping products for all age groups.
Violations will carry steep financial penalties, with retailers facing fines of 50,000 rufiyaa (USD 3,200) for selling tobacco to those barred under the policy. Individuals caught using vaping devices face fines of 5,000 rufiyaa (USD 320).
While nations such as the UK are still considering similar measures and New Zealand has reversed its pioneering ban introduced last year, the Maldives has taken a firm stand in its effort to curb long-term tobacco addiction and prevent youth smoking.
Public health advocates say the bold move by the Indian Ocean archipelago could serve as a global test case for generational tobacco controls, as an effort to protect younger populations from nicotine dependence and associated health risks.
