President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has advised to refrain from consumption of tobacco, revealing the recent statistics showed the top 5 diseases the state health insurance covers are for expenses due to tobacco consumption. The president made statement while speaking at the launching ceremony of the Policy on Graphic Health Warning Labelling on Tobacco Products held at Maldives National University (MNU), as part of the key pledges of the administration.
President Solih mentioned most deaths in Maldives are caused due to non-communicable diseases. He elaborated that 84 percent of the deaths are caused from cancer, heart diseases, strokes, lung diseases and kidney diseases. Noting the risk is higher for people who consume tobacco products for such diseases, President Solih urged to refrain from concussing tobacco. Furthermore, the president highlighted consumption of tobacco is increasing in the country, calling everyone to create awareness about the dangers of tobacco.
Highlighting it is a pledge of the administration, the president said the most important aim of the regulation is to create awareness and ban selling cigarette separately. Speaking in this regard, the president stated regardless of launching a policy, it will be ineffective unless everyone commits righteously. Similarly, he emphasised everyone must have the goal of banning tobacco and welcoming a healthy lifestyle.
Furthermore, the president noted graphic health warning labelling on tobacco products have been conducted very faintly since its introduction in 2004. He highlighted although a Tobacco Control Act was introduced in Maldives in 2010 and the relevant regulations were formed in 2012, it was not implemented by the authorities.
Further amendments were included to the regulations in 2017 but was not gazetted or implemented by the authorities.