The Maldives, a tiny island nation located in the Indian Ocean, became the world’s first country to implement a Nicotine-Free Generation (NFG) policy on November 1st.

In adopting the policy, the national Health Ministry said that the implementation “reflects the government’s strong commitment to protecting young people from the harms of tobacco.”

The Maldives’ NFG policy sets January 1, 2007, as the cutoff date for banning the sale of tobacco products to citizens and visitors alike. The policy also builds upon the country’s adoption of a law last year that made it illegal for anyone to import, sell, possess, use, or distribute electronic cigarettes and vaping products, regardless of age.

What it Means In A Global Context:

While the Maldives is the first country to enact an NFG policy, similar proposals have been debated worldwide.

New Zealand came closest to imposing NFG in 2022 when the government initially adopted an NFG policy. However, prior to the implementation date, the law was repealed due to economic concerns and the potential to fuel a black market for tobacco.

The United Kingdom saw a large push for the introduction of an NFG policy last year, which ultimately failed. However, that momentum led the Labour Party to introduce a new version of the legislation this year, the measure passed the House of Commons and has moved to the House of Lords, where it must overcome a few final legislative hurdles before being sent to the King for royal assent.

While the Maldives may not be a concerning moment to most, the adoption of NFG at a national level is a critical turning point in the NFG debate and the trends in the UK, New Zealand, and in other countries mirrors similar patterns with prior tobacco control efforts.

Remember, Aspen, Colorado, enacted the first city-level indoor smoking ordinance in 1987, banning smoking in restaurants. Just three years later, San Luis Obispo, California, banned smoking in all public buildings. By 2000, such bans had proliferated nationwide, illustrating how a single local ordinance can quickly lead to widespread adoption.

Increasingly, tobacco control is pushing for more aggressive and restrictive legislation under the guise of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

On November 17th, when the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the FCTC convenes in Geneva, Switzerland, NFG is expected to be a key topic of discussion.

The policy aligns closely with the FCTC’s broader objectives, such as restricting imports, mandating low-nicotine yields, raising age limits, and imposing tighter retail regulations, all part of a long-term strategy to advance what the treaty describes as a “tobacco-free future” that will likely impact premium cigars in the future across the globe.

Many member countries are anticipated to consider adopting similar measures in the coming year as they move to align with these global regulatory goals. CRA will be monitoring the COP proceedings for insights into tobacco control’s direction at a global level and in particular national comments from countries on the adoption of NFG.

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