This Asian country bans smoking for all young people – including tourists

The Maldives has become the first country in the world to introduce a generational smoking ban, prohibiting the sale and use of tobacco for anyone born on or after 1 January 2007. The law, which took effect on 1 November 2025, applies equally to residents and visitors to the island nation.

According to the country’s health ministry, the measure marks a “historic milestone in the nation's efforts to protect public health and promote a tobacco-free generation.” It added that the legislation “reflects the government's strong commitment to protecting young people from the harms of tobacco.”

The ban covers all tobacco products, including cigarettes and vapes. Retailers must now verify the age of buyers, with violators facing heavy fines, 50,000 Maldivian Rufiyaa for selling tobacco to underage persons and 5,000 Rufiyaa for using vape devices.

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New smoking ban to apply to tourists too

Officials clarified that the new restrictions will also be enforced on tourists. However, the government does not expect the policy to affect the country’s tourism industry. Ahmed Afaal, vice chair of the Maldives Tobacco Control Board, said, “People don't come to the Maldives because they're able to smoke. They come for the beaches, they come for the sea, they come for the sun, and they come for the fresh air.”

He added that there had been no reports of booking cancellations since the law came into force, and tourism figures continue to rise. “We’re projecting more than two million [tourists] in the next year,” Afaal said.

The move follows the Maldives’ 2024 ban on importing, selling, or using e-cigarettes and vaping products. The World Health Organization has praised the decision, describing it as “a global response to a global problem – namely, the tobacco epidemic.”

The Maldives’ decision places it at the forefront of global tobacco control, signalling a shift towards stricter public health standards even in tourism-driven economies.