Maldives Implements a Smokefree Generation Law the Kind New Zealand Once Had, Then Scrapped
The Maldives has made history by becoming the first country in the world to ban smoking, buying, and selling tobacco for anyone born after January 1, 2007 — creating a permanent smokefree generation.
The sweeping law came into force on Saturday across the Indian Ocean archipelago, with the nation’s Ministry of Health hailing it as a “historic milestone” in protecting public health and breaking the cycle of tobacco addiction.
The move makes the Maldives the first country to fully implement a generational tobacco ban — a decisive step in the global campaign to end smoking.
According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills more than seven million people every year. In 2021, more than a quarter of Maldivians aged 15 to 69 used tobacco, almost double the rate among those aged 13 to 15. By comparison, about 20% of U.S. adults and 12% of adults in the U.K. are smokers.
New Zealand Once Led the Way — Then Walked It Back
Ironically, the Maldives’ new ban mirrors a world-first law once passed by New Zealand in 2022. That legislation would have prohibited tobacco sales to anyone born after January 1, 2009 — effectively phasing out smoking for future generations.
The policy was widely praised as a bold step toward eliminating smoking and included measures to reduce nicotine levels and restrict the number of retailers allowed to sell tobacco.
However, in late 2023, New Zealand’s newly elected government scrapped the law before it could take effect, claiming its repeal would help fund income tax cuts. The move drew fierce criticism from health experts and advocates, who warned it would undo decades of progress in cutting smoking rates.
Now, as New Zealand retreats from its smokefree ambitions, the Maldives has taken the same idea and made it reality.
A Growing Global Movement
The U.K. is currently debating a similar “Smokefree Generation” bill that would ban tobacco sales to anyone born after 2009. Health leaders have urged lawmakers to act quickly, warning that more than 120,000 young people have started smoking in the U.K. in just the past six months.
Meanwhile, the Maldives continues to strengthen its anti-tobacco efforts. After banning vapes and e-cigarettes in 2024, the government now plans to open anti-smoking clinics and offer financial incentives to islands that eliminate smoking altogether.
With this landmark law, the Maldives has reignited the global smokefree movement — taking up the torch New Zealand once carried, and proving that bold public health policy can still lead the way.