The Maldives has escalated its tobacco control measures, enforcing a ban on the production of tobacco products within the country. This action follows an amendment to the Tobacco Control Act in November of last year, which not only outlaws the manufacture of cigarettes, cigars, and vaping products but also extends to prohibiting the import of any materials used in their production.
The Ministry of Health has issued directives to the Maldives Customs Service, with a letter dated December 24, explicitly stating the ban on any form of tobacco production under Article 10 of the amended Act. This document, which has been circulating on social media, shows the government’s intent to curb tobacco use by halting production and seizing any equipment or materials involved in tobacco manufacturing.
An official from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) clarified to Mihaaru that the letter in question is a procedural directive for implementing existing laws, rather than a new regulation. The Tobacco Control Act prohibits the import of anything from tobacco plants to seeds, which could be used in cultivation or tobacco production. This broad definition includes anything that facilitates the consumption of tobacco or nicotine.
However, there’s an exemption for tobacco cessation products. The Ministry has ensured that the supply of nicotine replacement therapies, like nicotine gum, remains uninterrupted. They’ve even requested duty-free import for these products. The State Trading Organisation (STO) is tasked with distributing these aids across the islands.
The government’s strategy includes economic measures, with a 50 percent increase in duties on cigarettes, aiming to reduce consumption through higher prices.
