Govt enforces ban on tobacco wrapping materials
The letter instructs Customs to prohibit the importation of any tobacco-related products and to destroy any such items found in the Maldives.
Health ministry has directed the Maldives Customs Service to enforce a ban on various materials used to wrap tobacco, including rolling paper, following recent amendments to the Tobacco Act.
A letter from the ministry to Customs Commissioner Fathimath Dhiyana, which has been circulating on social media, confirms the directive. A ministry official verified the authenticity of the letter on Thursday.
The letter instructs Customs to prohibit the importation of any tobacco-related products and to destroy any such items found in the Maldives.
A ministry official said on Thursday that the letter was sent in response to a request from Customs seeking clarification on whether materials used for producing tobacco were included in the scope of the amended law.
"The letter is valid and was issued after Customs sought the ministry's advice on whether the wrapping materials used for tobacco production fall under the prohibition in the amended law," the official said.
The amendment to Article 10 of the Tobacco Act prohibits the manufacture of any kind of tobacco in the Maldives. It includes:
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The cultivation of tobacco plants in any quantity.
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The manufacture of any type of tobacco product.
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The importation of tobacco plants, plant parts, or seeds that could be used to cultivate tobacco.
