SINGAPORE — Mr Kevin Wang, 32, used to smoke a pack of cigarettes every day when he was living in Paris. But one year after moving to Singapore, in 2016, the public officer who works at a statutory board kicked the habit.
New: You can now listen to articles.Over the years, Singapore has imposed increasingly strict restrictions against smoking, banning cigarette use at common areas of residential buildings and parksWhile there is success, there are also limitations as some addicts refuse to give up the habit or even turn to alternatives like vaping
At the time, smoking had been banned in entertainment outlets, educational institutions and public areas at residential sites. The stories of Mr Wang and Mr Salihan reflect the successes and limitations of Singapore’s efforts to curb smoking. Others have quit cigarettes only to start vaping instead, despite the fact that vapes, or electronic cigarettes, have been outright banned here since 2018.
Mr Robert Fernando, for example, said that the restrictions did not deter him from cutting down his frequency of 20 sticks per day. The 65-year old just avoids the places where he can no longer enjoy his cigarettes freely.The ever-increasing restrictions on smoking, coupled with other moves such as hefty hikes in the tobacco tax over the years, have had mixed results.
Over the years, amendments have been made to the laws to ban smoking in more and more premises. In 1994, for example, smoking was outlawed in air-conditioned areas such as factories and private offices. Over in Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency , there are two cooled smoking booths and the town council plans to add three more.
The United States' Food and Drug Administration said in 2022 it was planning to make such a move, but the plan faces fierce backlash from tobacco companies and may take years to take effect, if at all. In the shorter term, Singapore could consider banning smoking at the outdoor dining areas of bars, restaurants and coffee shops, she added.
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