The Maldives passes landmark legislation introducing a generational ban on tobacco use

03 June 2025, at 16:08.

In May 2025, President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives ratified a landmark piece of legislation, making the country the world’s first to introduce a generational ban on tobacco a major step towards a tobacco-free future. The legislation is set to come into force in November 2025, after which no-one born on or after 1 January 2007 will legally be able to buy tobacco products.

UNICEF published a statement in response, congratulating the Maldives on this achievement:

This law marks an essential milestone in addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer in Maldives, including among young people.

The move also earned President Muizzu the World Health Organization’s World No Tobacco Day Special Recognition Award. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated:

We recognise your exemplary leadership and commitment to protecting the health of the people of the Maldives. We applaud, especially your strong action to combat tobacco and restrict the spread of emerging nicotine products. Under your leadership the Maldives has taken bold steps this include ratifying a major amendment to the tobacco control law […] These are not only significant achievement for the Maldives, they serve as inspiring examples for other countries working towards tobacco free future.

Featured image: Adam Jones | CC-BY-SA-2.0