The Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act makes it an offence to smoke in a number of public places, published in this list in the Singapore Statutes.

You may be aware of some of them, but do you know how extensive the list is?

Long list of prohibited places

Smoking is not permitted in the premises, or buildings, or any part of the following places:

• Public museum or galleries.
• Cinemas or theatres.
• Singapore's court buildings.
• Nursing homes, hospitals, labs, clinics and other healthcare establishments.
• Anywhere within a shopping mall or complex, including the open spaces within the malls.

You might be thinking "Fair enough". However, the list goes even further.

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It's also illegal to smoke at the following places:

• Pedestrian overhead bridges.
• Covered or underground walkway, whether permanent or temporary.
• 5m from the pole of a bus stop or its sheltered area.
• Factories.
• Lifts, including the lift lobbies.
• Office premises that are used by people working there for work activities.
• Toilets, even portable toilets, that even some members of the public can access.
• Enclosed corridors, lobbies or stairwells of buildings or other places that have mostly office areas.
• Any common area in any residential premises or building. This includes void decks, stairwells, courtyards, common corridors and lobbies.
• Anywhere in a sports stadium.
• Any covered drop-off / pick-up point for vehicle passengers.
• Any public space where at least two people are queuing up for something.
• Any area in any of the universities EXCEPT residential staff quarters and designated smoking areas.
• Any car park in a multi-storey building (e.g. multi-storey carparks) or in the basement of a building.
• Any market.
• Any public playground or exercise area, including any facilities in those areas where people can sit or stand.
• A number of ferry terminals and piers.
• 5m from the entrance or exit from any publicly-accessible building, as well as windows or ventilation intake of the building.
• Land spaces managed by town councils that are used as parks or for recreational activities.
• All army camps (save for designated smoking boxes) and all buildings occupied by MINDEF, SAF and MHA (ditto).
• Marina Barrage, apart from designated smoking boxes. And...
• MacRitchie Reservoir Park.

Why are we revisiting this, you might ask?

Expanded powers for NEA officers

With the recent amendments to the Act, which were passed in Parliament on Monday, Sept. 10, National Environment Agency (NEA) enforcement officers now have expanded powers to enter places where smoking is prohibited (like all the above), without a warrant, to investigate smoking offences.

It is also illegal to mislead them, withhold information from them, or to abuse them.

NEA officers can now enter and inspect such places at "all reasonable times", such as the normal opening hours of a shopping mall.

They can also do this if they have a "reasonable belief" that an offence has been committed in that place, or if they can find evidence of such there.

Officers experienced difficulty in investigations

In her opening speech in Parliament on Monday, Senior Minister of State for Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor noted that the NEA had faced challenges investigating smoking offences in places where access was restricted.

Said Khor:

"Currently, to investigate complaints about smoking violations, NEA enters and inspects the premises with the manager’s consent.

While most have been cooperative, some managers have hindered investigations by denying NEA’s authorised officers entry into their premises, which prevents timely, effective investigation and enforcement. This is unsatisfactory."

Khor also defended the expansion of the investigation powers of the NEA in her closing speech, saying that they will be "exercised judiciously" by trained officers.

The Amendment also does not allow NEA officers to make a "forcible entry", under any circumstances.

Areas like Orchard Road can be designated as no-smoking zones entirely

But that's not all.

The amendments also allow the Minister for Environment and Water Resources to designate a geographical area as a No-Smoking zone, not just a specific place.

Smoking will then be prohibited in any publicly-accessible area within a No-Smoking zone.

And like the above, NEA officers will be empowered to investigate related offences within this designated area.

Favourable findings from Orchard Road

One case in point: Orchard Road.

Khor cited some findings from the measures introduced in Orchard Road, prior to the implementation of No-Smoking Zone rules.

Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs) had been set up in selected spots along Orchard Road. Said Khor:

"We found that the DSAs led to a one-third decline in the number of smokers along the main thoroughfare. 70 per cent of the non-smokers interviewed also felt that passive tobacco smoke along the main thoroughfare had been reduced after the DSAs were set up."

The No-Smoking Zone was originally scheduled to start on July 1, 2018, but it was pushed back to a date to be decided later, after some businesses requested more time.

Related articles:

Top photo via NEA Facebook page, Tan Boon Ngee

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