Speaking to the people of R. Ungoofaaru during his current trip to some islands of R. Atoll, President Dr. Muizzu said that the decision to ban vaping in the Maldives was made to save a young generation. He also said that this step was taken because if vaping was not banned in the Maldives, things could get out of control in the country.
Similarly, the President said that although some people talked about taking steps to discourage tobacco use as benefiting certain individuals, it was not true. The President also said that he did not want to increase revenue by increasing taxes in that sector. “The Ministry of Finance will not calculate now, the increased tax from importing and buying tobacco products, they will not calculate state revenue based on that now,” President Dr. Muizzu said.
Similarly, the President said that although some people talked about taking steps to discourage tobacco use as benefiting certain individuals, it was not true. The President also said that he did not want to increase revenue by increasing taxes in that sector. “The Ministry of Finance will not calculate now, the increased tax from importing and buying tobacco products, they will not calculate state revenue based on that now,” President Dr. Muizzu said.
President Dr. Muizzu said that the government wants to make people stay away from the harm caused by using tobacco products. He also said that the government took steps with the intention of encouraging people to stay away from tobacco products.
The President said that tobacco products were not completely banned because he believes that steps need to be taken one after another. The President also noted in his speech that vaping has not become as common as tobacco use.
“I know that many of our citizens are very much addicted to tobacco use. Our government has given high priority to establishing ways to quit at the island level, with tobacco cessation clinics established in health centers to provide services. And we will increase it further in the future,” the President said. The President said tonight that he wants Maldivians to be people who stay away from tobacco use. President Dr. Muizzu also said that he does not want to see Maldivians leaving this world due to incurable diseases caused by tobacco use.
Saving Maldivians from things that cause diseases is one of the policies of President Dr. Muizzu’s government. “The biggest problems occur due to tobacco use. So to encourage moving away from that behavior, I increased the price of those products. I want, with the full cooperation of the citizens, to take steps one by one, and if it reaches a point where more steps can be taken, for the people to be saved from this, to establish a healthy society,” the President said.
In his speech, the President asked to consider moving away from tobacco use as progress for the island. The President also requested to work towards achieving the title of an island that does not use tobacco in any way.
With the amendment to the Tobacco Control Act, vaping and its trade have been banned in the Maldives from December 15. With this amendment, selling, distributing for free, and using electronic cigarettes along with vaping devices and equipment will also be banned.
If vaping devices and products prepared for it are imported into the Maldives, there will be a fine of MVR 50,000. And for each electronic cigarette or vaping device imported, there will be a fine of MVR 10,000. If such a device or product is sold for tobacco use, there will be a fine of MVR 20,000. In addition to a fine of MVR 10,000 for each item sold, if distributed for free, the law stipulates a fine of MVR 10,000. If such an item is sold to a minor, the fine for that person will increase to MVR 50,000.
In addition, the specific rate of import duty on cigarettes and beedis has been increased from three rufiyaa to eight rufiyaa, and the ad valorem rate on tobacco has been increased by 50%. Raising the age for selling cigarettes to 21 is also a recent step taken by the government.
