The Maldives has enacted a generational prohibition on tobacco, becoming the first nation globally to implement such a measure. This new law prevents individuals born on or after January 2007 from purchasing, using, or selling any form of tobacco products.
Ratified by President Mohamed Muizzu, the legislation was enacted through the Second Amendment to the Tobacco Control Act. The article notes similar past legislative efforts, such as a 2002 New Zealand law targeting individuals born after January 1, 2009, with a new bill currently under parliamentary consideration in New Zealand to ban tobacco for those born after January 1, 2009, and enhance regulations on tobacco and vaping products.
The rationale for the ban, as highlighted by the Maldivian health ministry, is a commitment to protecting young people from the harms of tobacco, aligning with the Maldives' obligations under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Globally, smoking accounts for over seven million deaths annually, according to WHO data, and a 2021 CNN assessment indicated tobacco usage among 13 to 15-year-olds was nearly double the overall rate.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/maldives-generational-smoking-ban-tobacco-ban-10343627/