Maldives becomes the first country to enforce a generational tobacco ban, marking a historic moment in global public-health policy. With several nations tightening age limits and scaling taxes, the tropical island nation of the Maldives has gone a long way, introducing a law created to phase out tobacco use by the next generation.

As this policy comes into effect, public-health experts hope that the step will not only change behaviour locally, but also set a model for a smoke-free future worldwide.

A Landmark Public Health Step by the Maldives

In May 2025, President Mohamed Muizzu confirmed the Second Amendment to the Tobacco Control Act (Act No. 15/2010), bringing the generational ban into effect: no one born on or after 1 January 2007 will ever be legally permitted to buy tobacco products in the country.

The new rule comes into force from 1 November 2025, following a transition period. The policy is rooted in the goal of generating a “tobacco-free generation” by abolishing legal access to tobacco for younger cohorts, given that the adult smoking prevalence in the Maldives was estimated at 26.6% in 2022, with male prevalence at 43.6 % and female at 3.7%.

Additionally, smoking is responsible for around 12.8% of all deaths in the Maldives. By choosing a birth-year cutoff instead of simply raising the age each year, the Maldives becomes the first country globally to enforce a generational tobacco ban.

Regional observers do the boldness of the move: the policy places the Maldives at the vanguard of the tobacco-endgame movement.

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Key Components of the Ban

1. The law bans the sale, purchase, or use of any tobacco products by individuals born on or after 1 January 2007, regardless of age in future years.
2. Retailers are required to verify a buyer’s date of birth and ensure the buyer was born before 2007 and is at least 21 years old, failing which they go through enforcement action.
3. In association with the generational ban, the Maldives has already accelerated import duties and banned the import, sale, and use of e-cigarettes, heated-tobacco devices, and related accessories as part of its comprehensive control strategy.
4. The government frames the measure as a long-term investment in health; by lowering future tobacco uptake, it aims to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases and decline tobacco-related deaths (currently ~203 annually).

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The Key Takeaway

By putting a generational tobacco ban in place, the Maldives has positioned itself as a global pioneer in public-health policy. While effective implementation and preventing illicit access remain significant challenges, the step signals a firm commitment to a smoke-free future.

As the Maldives becomes the first country to enforce a generational tobacco ban, its bold strategy may inspire other nations to consider the same long-term measures aimed at protecting future generations from tobacco harm.

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