President Muizzu receives WHO award for tobacco control efforts

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has presented a special award to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu in recognition of his administration’s efforts to control tobacco use in Maldives.

In a statement, WHO said the award honors President Muizzu’s leadership in implementing strong tobacco control policies and promoting public health to protect future generations from the harms of smoking.

Since taking office, President Muizzu has introduced a series of sweeping anti-tobacco measures. These include a nationwide ban on the use and sale of vape products, which came into effect on 15 December 2024.

The government has also raised import duties on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

A key component of the President’s anti-tobacco campaign is a generational ban on tobacco use. Under amendments to the Tobacco Control Act, the sale of tobacco products is prohibited to anyone born on or after January 1 2007. The legislation also raises the minimum legal age for tobacco purchase from 18 to 21.

Retailers are now required to verify the age of customers using official identification, and selling tobacco products without confirming age is strictly prohibited under the new law.

President Muizzu has also urged tobacco importers and sellers to consider alternative businesses, highlighting the limited population of the Maldives and questioning the need for a tobacco market in the country.

“I would like to ask the people who import and sell cigarettes to leave the business. To do something else. This is not enough. This is a small country. It is not a place where millions of people live. Why should such a business exist?” he said earlier.