Maldives launches national award to support tobacco-free generation
Government says annual honor will recognize people and organizations helping reduce tobacco use as island nation steps up efforts to curb youth smoking
MALÉ, Maldives (MNTV) — The Maldives is expanding its campaign against tobacco use by introducing a national award to recognize people and organizations helping smokers quit, the latest step in a broader effort to reduce nicotine addiction among young people in the island nation.
Beginning next July, the government will present an annual National Tobacco Control Award to individuals and civil society groups that have made significant contributions to preventing tobacco use, President Mohamed Muizzu announced.
The initiative builds on a series of anti-smoking measures introduced in recent years as Maldivian authorities seek to reverse growing tobacco use among young people.
The government has already adopted a generational tobacco ban that permanently prohibits the sale of tobacco products to people born after a specified date, a policy intended to gradually create a smoke-free generation.
Officials said the new award forms part of the government’s wider public health strategy and is intended to encourage greater community involvement in tobacco prevention rather than relying solely on government enforcement.
The Maldives’ Health Protection Agency already recognizes individuals working in tobacco control, but the new initiative will elevate those efforts to a national honor presented annually by the government.
The announcement comes as the government faces scrutiny over a recent decision to reduce import duties on tobacco products.
Critics argued the move appeared inconsistent with the country’s anti-smoking campaign, while the government said the tax adjustment followed recommendations from the World Health Organization and was intended to support its broader tobacco control strategy.
Like many countries, the Maldives faces growing concern over tobacco-related diseases, which remain among the leading causes of preventable death worldwide.
Public health experts say reducing smoking rates requires a combination of taxation, advertising restrictions, cessation programs, public education and community engagement.
By recognizing anti-tobacco advocates at the national level, Maldivian authorities appear to be placing greater emphasis on grassroots participation as part of their long-term strategy to reduce smoking and protect future generations.
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