Malé, Nov 03 (V7N)- The Maldives has made history by becoming the first country in the world to implement a generational ban on smoking, buying, and selling tobacco products. The new law, which came into effect on Saturday (November 1), prohibits all tobacco-related activities for anyone born on or after January 1, 2007.

In a statement, the Maldivian Ministry of Health described the move as a “historic milestone” in protecting public health and building a “new generation free of tobacco.” The ministry said the legislation makes the Maldives the first nation globally to enforce a national-level generational tobacco ban.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco use kills over seven million people each year worldwide. A 2021 national survey in the Maldives revealed that more than 25% of adults aged 15 to 69 use tobacco, while the rate is nearly double among adolescents aged 13 to 15.

In comparison, around 20% of adults in the United States and 12% in the United Kingdom used tobacco in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Although the Maldives is the first to fully enact such a law, similar initiatives have emerged elsewhere. New Zealand passed a comparable policy in 2022 to ban tobacco sales for those born after January 1, 2009, but the new government repealed the law a year later, citing the need to preserve tobacco tax revenue. The reversal drew strong criticism from public health experts and anti-tobacco groups.

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