The world-first ban prohibits anyone born after Jan. 1, 2007, from ever buying, using or smoking tobacco.

The world-first ban prohibits anyone born after Jan. 1, 2007, from ever buying, using or smoking tobacco.

The Maldives has become the first country in the world to impose a generational smoking ban, barring anyone born after Jan. 1, 2007, from ever smoking, purchasing or using tobacco.

“The ban applies to all forms of tobacco, and retailers are required to verify age prior to sale,” the health ministry said Saturday as the ban came into effect.

The step “makes the Maldives the first country in the world to enforce a nationwide generational tobacco ban,” it added.

  • AugustWest@lemmy.worldEnglish
    7·
    19 hours ago

    Yes, it won’t work. But tobacco use in the Maldives has apparently not followed the trend of the rest of the world since the 50s. From the article:

    Smoking is especially prevalent among young people, with nearly half of those ages 13 to 15 consuming some form of tobacco.

    Half is insane.

    • Scubus@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      2·
      10 hours ago

      So there is clearly a driving factor behind that, it would seem more beneficial to address that instead of a blanket ban that is guaranteed to make things worse. Wonder why smoking is so prevalant there?

      Edit: dodnt get a clear answer on why, but it seems smoking is deeply embedded in their culture. 43% of men aged 15 or older smoke, while its only 4% of women in the same group smoke. Theyve also been trying to put an end to smoking for almost a decade now, not sure how much it has helped as i just cant find much info on them.