SINGAPORE: From Jul 1, Singapore will ban smoking at three new types of premises, although enforcement will only start in October to give smokers time to adjust.
Smoking will be prohibited at all public parks and gardens managed by the National Parks Board (NParks), PUB’s Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) sites, and 10 recreational beaches, said the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE), Sentosa Development Corp (SDC) and several statutory boards in a joint release issued on Monday (Mar 7).
Together, they cover about 100 sites such as Raffles Place Park, East Coast Beach and Tanjong Beach, joining a list of more than 49,000 places where smoking is banned. These include entertainment outlets, shopping malls, bus stops and common areas in residential buildings.
The extension of the smoking prohibition is part of Singapore’s efforts to clamp down on smoking and tackle second-hand tobacco smoke, the authorities said.
Last year, more than 13,000 tickets were issued for smoking in prohibited areas. Close to 40 per cent were caught smoking in common areas in Housing Board estates, such as lift lobbies and staircases.
Smoking is already banned in some green spaces such as neighbourhood parks in private and public housing estates, reservoirs and nature reserves.
“This next round of implementation is a progressive development from existing measures intended to protect non-smokers who visit these places for recreational activities,” the press release said.
To give people time to adjust to the rules, those caught smoking in the newly prohibited areas will receive warnings in the first three months after the ban kicks in.
Enforcement will only take effect from Oct 1, with offenders facing a fine of S$200 or up to S$1,000 if convicted in court.
Posters and banners will also be put up at the new sites to remind the public not to smoke in the area.
To help smokers adjust, designated smoking areas will also be provided in some larger regional parks, as well as near the three beaches in Sentosa, the authorities said. NParks said it will assess the need to keep these once visitors adjust to the new rules.
