Health Ministry says tobacco trade requires licence issued by ministry

Ministry of Health has announced that tobacco trading requires a special licence issued by the ministry, in addition to the permit issued by any government authority, under the Tobacco Control Act. The ministry stated that the licences will be issued after the amendments to the Act is finalised within the next two months. Amendments were brought to the Tobacco Control Act, and it has been under implementation since November 15. Following this, efforts are underway to formulate essential regulations related to tobacco control, with the health ministry informing that tobacco trade will require a special licence issued by the ministry. It noted that parties importing tobacco into the Maldives, those exporting tobacco and related products, and those who sell such products individually or in bulk must obtain the licence. The Act stipulates that these regulations must be finalised by January 15, 2025. After that, the regulations will be implemented, mandating all parties involved in trading tobacco to obtain a licence. Under President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s leadership, several efforts are being exerted to minimise the health problems faced due to smoking. As such, the importation of vaping devices have been banned since November 15, while decisions have been made to ban the usage of such devices or complementary products from December 15 onwards. Additionally, the sale of any tobacco or related products to individuals under 21 years or involving persons under 21 in tobacco sales transactions have been prohibited, and significant increases have been introduced to the import duty of such products.