President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Wednesday, outlined the government’s plan to enforce the generational tobacco ban, aimed at keeping younger generations away from smoking.
During the second episode of ‘Rayyithunnaa Eku’, a podcast series designed to engage with the public, address concerns, and provide direct responses, the President revealed that the Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim has been tasked with drafting a Cabinet paper regarding the recommendations.
He emphasised the need for consultation with medical professionals and other stakeholders in drafting the policy.
As part of his proposal, the President outlined three potential approaches for the ban:
• Prohibiting smoking for all individuals born on or after 1 January 2007
• Prohibiting smoking for all individuals born on or after 1 January 2004
• Prohibiting smoking for all individuals born on or after 1 January 2000
Explaining the rationale behind these options, he stated that focusing on the 18–25 age group would make it easier to prevent addiction before it becomes entrenched.
During the episode, President Dr Muizzu made a special plea for tobacco traders in the country, urging them to cease selling tobacco products and transition to alternative businesses.
The President encouraged people to refrain from smoking and using tobacco products. He explained that the primary objective of increasing tobacco prices was to discourage consumption, emphasising that gradual tax increases would not effectively reduce usage.
Instead, he stated that incremental tax hikes would merely raise retail prices, ultimately benefiting tobacco sellers rather than curbing demand.
Reaffirming his call for traders to shift to alternative businesses, the President stressed that the Maldives, with its relatively small population, should not sustain a tobacco industry. He urged decisive action to eliminate the prevalence of tobacco use in the country.
The government has been taking landmark steps against tobacco use. One of the biggest measures was to increase the duty on imported cigarettes and the nationwide ban on use and sale of vape products.