The Maldives prohibits smoking and vaping for anyone born after 2007.

Since the 1^er In November 2025, the Maldives implemented a total smoking ban for anyone born after 1^er January 2007. This initiative, launched by President Mohamed Muizzu, This is part of a major anti-smoking campaign to "protect public health," notably by promoting "a tobacco-free generation."

A strict regulatory framework that also extends to vaping

The generational ban on tobacco decided by the Maldivian Council of Ministers on April 13, 2025 entered into force, in accordance with the ratification, on May 21, 2025, of the second amendment to Law No. 15/2010 relating to tobacco control. From now on, people affected by the age ban can neither buy, nor consume, nor be sold tobacco products. Retailers must verify the age of buyers or face penalties.[1].

The ban also extends to the sale of products online, via distributors or delivery services, according to The Sun Online.[2].

The ban covers all forms of tobacco and also applies to foreign visitors to this South Asian archipelago of 1,191 coral islands, scattered over approximately 800 km on either side of the equator, and renowned for its luxury tourism.

The Maldives also maintains a total ban on the importation, sale, distribution, possession and use of electronic cigarettes and e-liquids, regardless of the age of the users, a ban which has been in effect since December 15, 2024.

Offenders face fines of up to 50,000 rufiyaa (approximately €2,800) for selling tobacco to a minor and 5,000 rufiyaa (€283) for using an electronic cigarette.

This measure is part of a broader anti-smoking campaign, which has been welcomed by the WHO.

With this decision, the Maldives become the first country to concretely implement a generational ban on tobacco.

In May 2025, Mohamed Muizzu had already received a special award on World No Tobacco Day, presented by the World Health Organization (WHO), for his efforts in the fight against tobacco. This public health issue is considered a priority in this country where, in 2021, a national survey revealed that 25.7% of adults aged 15 to 69 use tobacco, while the smoking prevalence among adolescents aged 13 to 15 was 45.7%.

The WHO then stated that " Under President Muizzu's leadership, the Maldives have made significant progress in tobacco control through a series of major policy reforms. These include the ratification of a key amendment to the Tobacco Control Act, the expansion of smoke-free zones across the country, and the banning of e-cigarettes, e-liquids, and other emerging nicotine products. ".

The UN agency added that " The government has also raised the legal age for purchasing tobacco to 21 [in November 2024], banned all forms of tobacco advertising and sponsorship, introduced higher taxes on tobacco products to make them less accessible, and established a national smoking cessation program offering free support services in all healthcare facilities. citing the Maldives as a "striking example" for "other countries seeking to curb tobacco consumption and mitigate its devastating effects on health. ".

The Maldivian authorities now hope to reduce smoking throughout the archipelago, notably through projects to establish anti-smoking clinics offering support to smokers trying to quit, including a financial reward system for island residents who manage to completely stop using tobacco.[3].

While the Maldives are currently the only Asian country to have embarked on the path of a tobacco-free generation, some countries have expressed support for a total ban on vaping, as has already been decided in Singapore and should be so by mid-2026 in Malaysia.

Similar initiatives to ban tobacco across generations are being adopted or considered in other parts of the world, such as Belgium, the United Kingdom, and some US states, while New Zealand, a pioneer in this area, suspended its law in 2023, less than a year after its adoption, following the election of a conservative coalition government. whose Minister of Health has close ties to the tobacco industry.

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1]SA with AFP, The Maldives bans smoking for people born after January 2007, a world firstBFMTV, published on November 2, 2025, accessed on November 3, 2025

[2]The Parisian, A "striking example": the Maldives bans smoking for people born after January 1, 2007Published on November 2, 2025, accessed on November 3, 2025

[3]Jessie Yeung, Maldives just made it illegal for some generations to smokeCNN, published November 2, 2025, accessed November 3, 2025

National Committee Against Smoking |