Overview
- The ban took effect November 1, making the Maldives the first country to implement a generational tobacco prohibition.
- The policy was enacted through the Second Amendment to the Tobacco Control Act, ratified by President Mohamed Muizzu.
- It covers all tobacco products and requires retailers to verify age, with the restrictions applying to residents and visitors.
- The country already has a separate nationwide ban on vapes and e‑cigarettes in place since late 2024, and authorities plan cessation clinics and other supports.
- Similar measures elsewhere have stalled or are pending, including New Zealand’s repealed 2022 law and a bill progressing in the UK Parliament.