A proposed amendment to the Tobacco Control Act has been introduced in Parliament, aiming to revoke the business licenses of cafes and restaurants that engage in illegal smoking practices.

The amendment bill, moved by Henveyru North MP Ahmed Aifan on behalf of the government, seeks to introduce tougher regulations to address smoking violations.

The current law, which took effect in August 2010, fines individuals MVR 500 for smoking in prohibited areas, this law has not been updated for the past 14 years.

The proposed amendment marks the first revision to the Act, bringing in more stringent measures.

Under the new proposal, the Ministry will have the authority to recommend the temporary suspension or revocation of a business license for establishments found to be in violation of smoking regulations.

Even in cafes and restaurants where smoking is permitted, the Minister will have the power to revoke the permit if the terms of the permit are breached.

In addition to tightening regulations on smoking in public places, the existing ban on the cultivation and use of tobacco plants in the Maldives will also be reinforced.

The amendment modifies Article 10 of the Act to prohibit the importation of any species of tobacco plant or plant parts that could be used for tobacco cultivation.

Specifically, the revised article states: "It is prohibited to grow any kind of tobacco plant in the Maldives or to produce tobacco in any quantity in the Maldives. It is prohibited to import tobacco plants and other parts of tobacco plants that can be used to grow tobacco plants."

Moreover, the amendment introduces stricter age restrictions for purchasing tobacco products. 

Once the bill is passed and takes effect on the 15th of next month, shops will be prohibited from selling tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21.

Additionally, stores will be required to display warnings indicating that selling tobacco to minors is illegal.

The proposed changes are expected to further curb tobacco use and strengthen public health measures once approved by Parliament.