The Maldives government has decided to strengthen its anti-smoking legislation by announcing the introduction of a bill in Parliament that would prohibit young people under the age of 19 from purchasing cigarettes.
"This new legislation is due to come into force on November 1, 2025," said the president of the Indian Ocean archipelago, Mohamed Muizzu, in a statement released Sunday after a cabinet meeting.
The penalties that will be imposed on violators were not immediately made public.
In November, the Maldives raised the legal age for tobacco consumption from 18 to 21 and banned the manufacture, sale, distribution, promotion and possession of e-cigarettes in its territory.
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