Maldives Customs Service has revealed that cigarette imports have dropped but the import of e-cigarettes and vapes has increased seven-fold.
Statistics from Customs show cigarettes are the most taxed product imported to the Maldives, as USD0.19 is imposed on each cigarette. However, the demand for cigarettes has dropped in the past 10 years, likely due to the warning labels placed on the boxes as part of the government’s efforts to reduce smoking.
In 2015, the import duty for a cigarette was increased to USD0.081, while in 2011 the duty was at USD0.064. The duty was raised to USD0.13 in 2017 and further raised to USD0.19 in 2020. The measures taken to curb smoking in the Maldives have resulted in a 31% drop in cigarette imports in 2021. However, the import of cigarette alternatives has been increasing, with e-cigarettes and vape imports increasing by sevenfold in the last three years.
The government has been strengthening anti-smoking laws and increasing taxes on cigarettes in an effort to curb smoking in the Maldives. In 2019, the sale of single cigarettes was also banned. The number of smokers has decreased but a large number of individuals who vape do so as an alternative to smoking and as a way to reduce their smoking habit. Health professionals have warned that vaping is also harmful to one’s health while some have claimed that it is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes.