Maldives turns into solely nation with generational smoking ban

The Maldives started implementing a smoking ban Saturday on anybody born on or after January 2007, changing into the one nation with a generational prohibition on tobacco, the Well being Ministry stated.

The transfer, initiated by President Mohamed Muizzu earlier this yr — will “defend public well being and promote a tobacco-free era,” the ministry stated.

“Underneath the brand new provision, people born on or after January 1, 2007 are prohibited from buying, utilizing, or being bought tobacco merchandise inside the Maldives,” it added.

“The ban applies to all types of tobacco, and retailers are required to confirm age previous to sale.”

The measure additionally applies to guests to the nation of 1,191 tiny coral islets scattered some 500 miles throughout the equator and identified for its luxurious tourism.

The ministry stated it additionally maintains a complete ban on the import, sale, distribution, possession, and use of digital cigarettes and vaping merchandise and it applies to all people no matter age.

Promoting tobacco merchandise to an underage individual carries a penalty of fifty,000 rufiyaa ($3,200), whereas utilizing vape units carries a nice of 5,000 rufiyaa ($320).

An identical generational ban proposed in Britain continues to be going by way of the legislative course of whereas New Zealand — the first nation to enact such a regulation in opposition to smoking — repealed it in November 2023, lower than a yr after it was launched.