President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the Amendment Bill to the Tobacco Control Act to introduce a generational ban on smoking.

A ceremony was held at the President's Office with senior officials from relevant sectors and school students born after January 1, 2007.

Muizzu also answered questions from journalists regarding the bill and shared details about its key provisions and the benefits it is expected to bring.

The bill was proposed by Kinbidhoo MP Ali Ashraq. It was passed with 63 votes in favour and one against on May 13.

Key provisions of the bill include:

• Generational ban and youth restrictions: The sale, purchase, and use of tobacco products are prohibited for individuals born on or after January 1, 2007. Additionally, individuals under the age of 21 are barred from participating in any tobacco-related sales or commercial activities, further shielding young people from tobacco exposure.
• Ban on production equipment and e-Cigarettes: The import, possession, and use of machinery for tobacco production, as well as electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, and related accessories, are strictly prohibited.
• Prohibition of advertising and sponsorship: All forms of tobacco advertising, sponsorship, and promotional activities are banned under the amended law.

The bill states that a person who violates the provisions will be fined an amount between MVR 1,000 and MVR 1,000,000.

Muizzu's verbal attacks on tobacco businesses

At the ceremony on Wednesday, Muizzu reiterated his criticism of tobacco companies and claimed that he wants to stop the tobacco business in the Maldives.

"So, there are people who are unhappy with me. Especially, tobacco sellers. They are very unhappy. I don't care. I have no issues with that," he said.

The President said he wants to stop the tobacco trade in the Maldives and keep the entire population away from the habit.

"I want to tell them, this is the right thing for you too. Leave this business. Switch to another business. This tobacco trade is not something I would encourage in this country. When we stop this, and when we save our population of about 500,000 from this, that will be a major achievement for our country and our future," he said.

Cases of cigarette smuggling have increased significantly due to the ban on vaping and the extremely high import duties on cigarettes.

In April, cigarettes worth MVR 21 million were seized from a container imported by the airport development company.

Customs also seized a shipment of cigarettes at the Addu port. The shipment contained more than 100,000 cigarettes.

Before that, senior police officers were caught while running a network to smuggle cigarettes from the airport duty-free zone.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates have warned about the possible consequences of a total ban on vaping without proper regulation.

The association said the worst outcome would be the increasing number of people using cigarettes.