The government’s landmark Generational Ban on tobacco is projected to do more than simply improve public health, with the Minister of Sports, Fitness and Recreation, Abdulla Rafiu describing it as the catalyst for the development of a higher standard of national athletes.
In an exclusive interview with PSM News, Minister Rafiu championed the bold health policy, asserting that legal measures designed to protect the youth will serve as a crucial step toward achieving ambitious sporting goals for the Maldives.
The Minister explained that eliminating tobacco from the lives of the next generation will directly translate into significantly improved athletic performance.
"Health is certainly one of the things that affects our performance the most," he stated, explaining that a tobacco-free upbringing would enhance fundamental physical capabilities.
"If they are healthy, their strength will improve, and their stamina will increase and this will have a huge impact on our children's performance. It will help us achieve our sporting goals."
Describing the policy—which opens a new chapter for children born on or after 1 January 2007—as vital for the nation’s future, Minister Rafiu stressed that eradicating this dangerous habit would facilitate a climate of “clean sport.”
This effect, he noted, would benefit the environment both "inside the body or outside the body," assuring that Maldivian athletes and para-athletes would soon reap the rewards.
The government’s landmark amendments to the Tobacco Control Act, introducing a generational ban on tobacco use, came into effect on 1 November. The measures reflect President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s broader vision to cultivate a “competent, morally upright, and diligent citizenry.” The same legislative package also enforces a nationwide prohibition on electronic cigarettes and vaping products.
The legislation, first proposed on 29 April, prohibits tobacco use by individuals born on or after 1 January 2007. It also restricts sales: vendors may not sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21, nor to those born after the generational cut-off.
In recognition of this major national initiative, a special 24-hour event, the National Torch Run, is currently underway at the Ekveni Track in Male’.