Health Protection Agency has said that more than 400 businesses have so far obtained the vendor licence required under the Tobacco Control Act, following amendments to the law that came into effect on 15 January last year.
The amendments require all parties involved in the sale of tobacco products to obtain a special licence from the Ministry of Health, in addition to a business permit issued by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. The revised law also introduced mandatory registration for all tobacco products sold in the Maldives.
According to the HPA, 312 types of tobacco products had been registered in the Maldives by last month. The agency added that a total of 437 businesses have now been issued the vendor licence mandated under the amended law. In addition, tobacco import licences have been issued to 31 parties, while two parties have received licences for tobacco re-export.
The tobacco control framework has been expanded through several regulatory changes aimed at reducing tobacco use and its associated health risks. These include a ban on the import of electronic cigarettes and vapes, which has been in place since 15 November 2024, as well as an increase in duties applied to tobacco products and electronic cigarettes. The minimum age for trading tobacco in the Maldives has also been raised to 21.
Another major change introduced under the revised law is a generational ban on tobacco. This provision prohibits the use, purchase, and sale of tobacco for individuals born in the Maldives on or after 1 January 2007, as well as for all future generations born in the country.
Health authorities have consistently linked tobacco use to non communicable diseases, identifying it as a major risk factor contributing to long term health burdens in the Maldives.
