Govt mandates smoking areas for cafes, restaurants
The establishment of a smoking room or area in these premises requires written permission from the Ministry of Health, with a permit fee of MVR 10,000
Government on Wednesday gazetted the General Rules on Tobacco Control, requiring cafés and restaurants to establish separate areas for tobacco use.
The regulations prohibit smoking in most public places, with designated smoking areas permitted in five specific locations:
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Airports and ports where transit traffic is arranged
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Shopping malls
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Tea houses, cafés, and restaurants
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State-run detention facilities
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Industrial workplaces, including resorts
Additionally, smoking areas may be permitted in two other locations:
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Temporary camps accommodating disaster victims
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Open spaces in government agencies, state-owned companies, and any organisation with official responsibilities
The establishment of a smoking room or area in these premises requires written permission from the Ministry of Health, with a permit fee of MVR 10,000. The ministry will introduce separate regulations outlining the standards, conditions, and validity periods for issuing permits.
The rules also detail penalties for businesses that violate the regulations:
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MVR 3,000 for the first violation
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MVR 5,000 for the second violation
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From the third violation onwards, the fine will double with each repeated offence
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After every two repeated violations from the third instance, the business licence will be temporarily suspended
In cases where a licence is suspended, it will be reinstated after the payment of all penalties.
