Government to Review WHO Recommendation to Cut Tobacco Import Duty by Half

The government has decided to hold discussions with relevant state authorities on a World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation to reduce the tobacco import duty to MVR 4 from the current rate of MVR 8, Home Minister Ali Ihsan has said.

Speaking at a press conference held yesterday at the President’s Office to mark World No Tobacco Day, Ali Ihsan said the matter would be reviewed in consultation with relevant institutions before any decision is taken.

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He noted that the government had increased the cigarette import duty in 2024 following the ban on vaping products, citing concerns that users of e-cigarettes could shift to tobacco consumption.

The last revision to the tobacco import duty was carried out in November 2024, when the specific duty per cigarette was raised from MVR 3.30 to MVR 8.00.

Ihsan said taxation measures on tobacco are commonly used globally as a tool to reduce consumption, adding that the previous increase was informed by expert advice and studies suggesting a potential rise in cigarette use following the vape ban.

He said current research, including a WHO study, recommends a tobacco duty rate of around MVR 4 for the Maldives in 2026.

“The decision made by the government back then to increase the [cigarette] duty rate to MVR 8.00 was a difficult one,” Ihsan said, adding that the measure was intended to counter the rapid rise in vaping products, which were widely marketed as a safer alternative at the time.

The Maldives amended its Tobacco Control Act in 2024 to ban the import of vaping devices and e-cigarettes, later extending the prohibition to cover sale, distribution and use.

The legislation introduced strict penalties for violations, including fines of MVR 5,000 for vape use, MVR 20,000 for sale, and MVR 50,000 for selling to minors. Additional penalties include MVR 10,000 per device for sale or free distribution.

According to official figures, 35 individuals were fined a total of MVR 226,000 for vaping-related offences in October alone.

The vape ban forms part of wider tobacco control policies under the administration of President Mohamed Muizzu, which also includes higher import duties on cigarettes and a proposed smoking ban for individuals born after 2007.