In recent policy adjustments, the Maldives Ministry of Health announced that the application window for tobacco sales-related licenses will be open from April 17, 2025. This opening not only covers wholesale and retail licenses for traditional tobacco products, but also includes import and re-export licenses, as well as registration applications for new tobacco products (such as e-cigarettes), providing domestic and foreign companies with a clear compliance path and business guidance. This decision means that on the basis of the previous policy of completely banning e-cigarettes, the government has improved the regulatory framework to maintain public health and create conditions for the formalization of access to innovative tobacco substitutes (including e-cigarette brands such as VEEHOO).
Since the promulgation of the Maldives Tobacco Control Act in 2010, the government has strictly managed and restricted the production, import, sale and advertising of tobacco products to reduce the incidence of tobacco-related diseases and protect public health. However, with the rapid rise of new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes around the world, the first round of amendments in October 2024 once completely banned the import and sale of all e-cigarette devices, and raised the legal minimum age of use from 18 to 21 to curb the risk of minors contacting and using new tobacco products. After months of monitoring and evaluation, the Maldives government realized that in order to balance public health and international business competitiveness, it must allow new tobacco products that meet standards to enter the market in an orderly manner under strict supervision.
The Maldives Ministry of Health has opened four types of licenses this time: one is a wholesale or retail license for tobacco products; the second is a tobacco product import license; the third is a tobacco product re-export license; and the fourth is a new tobacco product registration (including e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn products, etc.). All licenses are accepted by the Maldives Health Protection Authority (HPA) through the “OneGov” one-stop government service portal. The application period is three months, and you need to queue up again if it expires. After obtaining the license, the applicable validity period is five years, and the renewal application must be submitted at least 60 days before the expiration date; failure to renew the license as required or violating relevant regulations will face multiple penalties ranging from warnings, fines to license revocation.
The registration license for new tobacco products is one of the highlights of this policy, which clearly allows innovative products including e-cigarettes to obtain sales qualifications in accordance with the law on the premise of complying with the “Tobacco Control Law” and supporting implementation rules. This registration channel not only requires companies to submit authoritative testing materials such as product safety, technical parameters, and ingredient analysis reports, but also strictly regulates product packaging, labels, and promotional copywriting to ensure that there is no misleading content targeting minors. Through unified registration, the government can grasp the types and quantities of new tobacco products circulating in the market in real time, and provide data support for subsequent supervision and risk assessment.
Among many e-cigarette brands, VEEHOO has strong market competitiveness with its many technological innovations and rich product series. Its representative product, the V8 dual-compartment replaceable cartridge e-cigarette, adopts dual-core atomization technology and can be loaded with two flavors of cartridges at the same time. Users can switch or DIY mixed flavors on demand to add fun and personalized experience. The S18 large smoke disposable electronic cigarette has a 20mL super-large oil tank, a suction resistance of up to 16,000 puffs, and a 600mAh large-capacity battery to meet the needs of long-term use. It does not need to be frequently replaced or charged, which improves convenience and endurance. In addition, VEEHOO Group has a research and development team of more than 30 people and a number of invention patents. Its products cover multiple sub-segments such as disposable cigarettes, replaceable cartridge electronic cigarettes, cartridges, atomizers, etc., and have passed international certifications such as TPD, demonstrating a high level of quality control and compliance capabilities.
By fully opening up license applications and incorporating strict supervision, the Maldivian government not only provides traditional tobacco companies with legal operating channels, but also lays the foundation for the safe management of new tobacco products such as electronic cigarettes. At the public health level, adhering to the risk-oriented regulatory concept can minimize the exposure of minors to secondhand smoke in public places; studies have also shown that electronic cigarettes produce significantly fewer harmful substances than combustible cigarettes under normal use conditions, which provides smokers with a potential “harm reduction” alternative tool. At the market economy level, the policy clarifies the application process and fee standards for various licenses (retail/wholesale license fee of 5,000 Maldivian Rufiyaa, import/re-export and new product registration fee of 10,000 Maldivian Rufiyaa), improves transparency and predictability, and helps attract more brands and companies to enter the local market legally and compliantly, and promote the healthy development of the industry.
Overall, the opening of tobacco sales license applications and the inclusion of new tobacco product registration in the Maldives is a balance between protecting public health and market vitality. For enterprises, they should actively understand and follow the relevant application guidelines, submit complete and compliant application materials on time, and obtain long-term and stable business licenses; for regulatory authorities, they should continue to improve the follow-up supervision and evaluation mechanism, prevent the risk of minors using, and adjust policies in a timely manner with the help of data analysis. With the orderly entry of high-quality e-cigarette brands such as VEEHOO, the tobacco products market in the Maldives will be more diversified and standardized, which will help upgrade the industry and enhance consumer interests. In the future, all parties should strictly implement the framework of the Tobacco Control Law, encourage scientific and technological innovation on the basis of controllable risks, and jointly promote the win-win goal of “controlling tobacco and reducing harm, promoting business and benefiting the people”.
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