Gov’t to Increase Duty on Tobacco Products 

Finance Minister Dr Mohamed Shafeeg has announced a forthcoming increase in import duties on tobacco products, reflecting widespread public opposition to health-damaging imports. 

The Maldives imports tobacco products worth MVR 1.8 billion (USD 400 million) annually.

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Dr Shafeeg, speaking before the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee yesterday, highlighted that the majority of the Maldivian public is against the importation of harmful health products. As a result, the government plans to raise the import duty on such items, including tobacco and vaping products, with the aim of discouraging their use.

This move aligns with the Maldives’ broader policy on import duties and health-related issues. The World Health Organization (WHO) has previously reported that smoking-related diseases cause approximately 150 deaths annually in the Maldives, equating to a fatality every two days.

Additionally, the global youth tobacco survey of 2019 revealed a troubling increase in smoking rates among students, rising from 11.2% in 2011 to 45.7% in 2019.

Starting in November, the Maldives will also eliminate duty allowances on conventional and flavoured cigarettes, e-cigarettes, shisha, and e-liquids, meaning these products will be subject to full import duties.