Government to Take Generational Smoking Ban Campaign Into Schools 

The government has decided to take its campaign on the generational smoking ban into schools as part of wider efforts to raise awareness about the health risks associated with tobacco and nicotine.

The decision was made by the Cabinet during its meeting on Sunday, following a presentation by the Sub-Committee tasked with leading the national awareness campaign on tobacco and nicotine hazards and reviewing cigarette import tariffs.

The Ministry of Health, Family, and Welfare will lead the campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Skills Development. An oversight mechanism will also be established to monitor the implementation of the campaign.

As part of efforts to ensure the campaign reaches communities across the country, the Ministry of Health will appoint a community focal point on every inhabited island.

The initial phase of the campaign will also involve at least one civil society organisation from each atoll, along with several organisations from the Greater Malé area.

The government plans to further expand the campaign by working with youth associations and sports figures to promote a tobacco-free lifestyle among young people.

As part of this effort, specific targets will be established to ensure athletes remain tobacco-free, supporting the broader requirement that only tobacco-free athletes represent national teams.

The campaign forms part of the government’s wider efforts to strengthen public awareness of tobacco and nicotine-related harms and advance the implementation of the generational smoking ban.