Signed by more than 1,200 health professionals including doctors, nurses and public health directors, the letter stresses that the bill is urgently needed. The chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, Hazel Cheeseman, said: Every week, thousands of young people become trapped in a cycle of deadly addiction that will shorten their lives. Tobacco is a uniquely harmful product, killing more than half of long-term users. Politicians can protect future generations by passing this truly gamechanging legislation.
The Maldives began implementing a smoking ban on anyone born after January 2007, becoming the only country with a generational prohibition on tobacco, according to its health ministry. The move, which was initiated by the president, Mohamed Muizzu, earlier this year and came into effect on 1 November, will protect public health and promote a tobacco-free generation, the ministry said.
