Several individuals gathered outside the parliament today to stage a protest against the government's imminent plans to ban vaping in the Maldives.
The protesters held banners against the ban and called on the government to regulate vaping instead of an all-out ban on vaping. The protesters also argued that banning vaping would severely affect small businesses.
Last week, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced he has instructed the relevant authorities to initiate the necessary actions to prohibit the import of vaporizer devices, accessories, and parts starting from November 15, 2024.
Additionally, from December 15, 2024, the ban will include the possession, use, manufacturing, sale, promotion, and free distribution of vaporizer devices throughout the country.
The World Health Organization WHO welcomed the decision by the government to curtail vaping and its products in the country.
It said that this was an important initiative to arrest the worrying trend of an increase in vaping, especially among young adolescents.
WHO said as per the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 23.1 percent of boys and 10.7 percent of girls in the age group of 13 to 15 years had used e-cigarettes in Maldives.
It further stated the growing use of novel and emerging nicotine and tobacco products (NENTPs) such as electronic cigarettes or the electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDS), heated tobacco products (HTPs) and nicotine pouches (NPs), particularly among youth across the WHO South-East Asia Region is particularly worrying.
WHO added all forms of tobacco use are harmful and a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic lung diseases, and diabetes.
