President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has described the recently ratified legislative amendment as an overarching solution to the fight against tobacco use in the Maldives.
President Dr Muizzu ratified a landmark amendment to the Tobacco Control Act, implementing a decisive generational ban on tobacco and e-cigarette use.
The new law prohibits individuals born on or after 1 January 2007 from using tobacco and forbids the sale of such products to this cohort. Public sentiment played a crucial role in shaping the policy, with a social media poll by the president helping to gauge national support. Approved by Parliament on 13 May, the amendment will take effect on 1 November.
Speaking to reporters after ratifying the landmark amendment, the President highlighted the landmark steps that have been taken by his Administration to build a society free from tobacco use. He said banning the use of vape and e-cigarettes and significant tax increases on tobacco products would save future generations from the tobacco epidemic.
The generational ban, which would effectively lead to the complete prohibition of tobacco use in the near future, was the next step towards freeing the country from tobacco use, he explained.
“Now tobacco sellers will have the legal backing to demand customers to provide ID for age verification. Also importing machinery intended for tobacco product manufacturing has been prohibited. The law had not been so clear on that which had posed challenges to the Police and Customs. Tobacco manufacturing is prohibited so the related machinery must be too,” the President explained.
The legislative amendment will now provide the necessary tools to enforcement agencies, President Dr Muizzu said, adding that these measures would help the country save over 30 percent of the population from tobacco use.
President Dr Muizzu also reiterated his commitment to investing revenue from the recent increase on taxes on tobacco imports on smoking cessation programmes in his bid for a healthier nation.
"It's better if we don’t generate revenue from tobacco because that's not what we are looking to do. The tax revenue we get will be spent on promoting public health. To conduct awareness programmes,” he said.
The President alluded to the efforts that lie ahead of authorities to raise public awareness on the harm of tobacco use before the generational ban comes into effect on 1 November.
He also pledged to build the capacity of relevant agencies to help them strictly enforce the ban.