Overview
- Effective November 1, anyone born on or after January 1, 2007 is barred from buying, possessing or using tobacco in the Maldives.
- All tobacco products are covered, and retailers must verify customers’ ages before completing any sale.
- Penalties include a 50,000 rufiyaa fine for unlawful sales and a 5,000 rufiyaa penalty for using vape devices, which are already prohibited.
- The rules apply to tourists, and a senior tobacco control official said visitor numbers are expected to keep growing.
- Other countries are watching the rollout, with New Zealand having reversed a similar approach, the UK considering birth‑year limits, and Belgium planning stricter smoke‑free rules from 2027.