Health Minister Abdulla Nazim has rejected suggestions that the recent rise in criminal cases is tied to the government’s tobacco restrictions.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday in response to a query from North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo), Nazim acknowledged that major policy shifts can trigger transitional challenges. However, he stressed that the anti-tobacco campaign has no link to criminal behaviour.
He argued that the global consensus is clear: no country can strengthen its health sector without directly addressing noncommunicable diseases. In line with that view, the current administration is formulating broad policies focused on prevention.
Nazim highlighted that the government has made extensive efforts to familiarise the public with accurate information about the generational tobacco ban. He said smoking-cessation clinics have now been set up in every inhabited island to support those seeking to quit, and that all relevant authorities, including the Tobacco Control Board, are ready to enforce the generational ban.
The Muizzu administration’s anti-smoking drive began last year with a ban on importing vapes and e-cigarettes, later expanded to prohibit their sale, distribution, and use. The government also doubled cigarette import duties as part of the strategy.
Although these measures have been praised internationally, the restrictions, combined with higher cigarette prices, have spurred a black market, with vapes and cheaper cigarette brands being smuggled in and sold illegally.