Health news: The island nation of the Maldives has officially brought in a generational ban on smoking. This historic policy action affects those born after 1 January 2007 for the purchase, possession and/or use of tobacco. Proposed by Maldives’ President Mohammed Muizzu earlier this year, it has officially come into effect, starting in November.
As per the historic age-based ban, it applies to all forms of tobacco, and the retailers are mandated to verify the age of the users before making a sale. This comes after the Maldives’ policy ban on the import, sale, distribution, possession, and use of electronic cigarettes and vaping, regardless of age.
Generational ban on tobacco
The Health Ministry of the Maldives called it a “historic milestone” to protect public health and ensure a “tobacco-free generation.” In this “commitment to young people,” the rule emphasised that even as adults, the generation will not be legally allowed to use tobacco.
It also put a penalty of about Rs 2.9 lakh (50,000 Maldives rufiya) in place for a retailer found selling tobacco to underage customers. Those who possess vapes and e-cigarettes, irrespective of age, would also be fined with Rs 29,000 (5000 Maldives rufiyaa). And yes, the anti-smoking generational rule also applies to tourists born in or after 2007. The ban also instates anti-smoking clinics and incentives, in order to build a larger ‘smoke-free’ nation.
Other countries, like New Zealand, had tried to bring in the ban, but it was then reversed due to inefficiency. In the UK, the legislation is pending over the Vapes Bill, as other nations closely watch the Maldives’ journey, having one of the highest smoking rates across South Asia. The Britain ban aims to ban the use of tobacco or vapes for anyone born after 1 January 2009.
What smoking does to teens
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had previously declared smoking as an “epidemic” and “one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced.” As per their report, tobacco use is responsible for nearly 7 million deaths a year, even leading to chronic disability and long-term suffering.
Based on common observation, vaping has become the new youth trend, which has eventually normalised cigarette smoking. A study published in the National Library of Medicine, ‘The Health Consequences of Tobacco Use Among Young People,’ found that nicotine addiction develops rapidly in adolescents if they are exposed to it in adolescence. The American Lung Association also warned of a direct correlation between early nicotine use and neurodevelopment, attention, learning, and impulse control. They also found that nearly 87% of the adult smokers in the US first tried smoking by the age of 18, leading to early onset of the habit and eventual addiction, making it harder to quit.
A Scotland-based study (2025) found that cigarette smoking impeded lung growth and function among adolescents, leading to reduced endurance. The repeated use of smoking is also a well-known risk factor for asthma, chronic cough, bronchitis, and lung injury. Studying ‘Nicotine Addiction and Smoking,’ a 2024 report found that nearly 23% of the World’s population inhales cigarettes, and vaping has become increasingly popular among young people. Smoking during one’s adolescence increased the risk for multiple cancers, while also increasing the likelihood of Type 2 diabetes, reproductive health issues, weakened immune response, and eye disease.
