Ban on tobacco product displays starts August 2017
A person smoking. (Photo: Associated Press)
Retailers will have a one-year grace period to comply with a ban on point-of-sale displays for tobacco products, which will come into effect in August 2017.
The ban is among a series of measures meant to enhance Singapore’s tobacco control policies, discourage the use of the substance and protect citizens - particularly young people - from its harmful effects, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a news release on Thursday (28 July).
Under the amendments made to the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act (TCASA), retailers will have to use plain, undecorated storage devices for the tobacco products sold on their premises. These products must be kept out of the public’s direct line of sight, with a text-only price list being provided upon a customer’s request.
The aim of the ban is to reduce youth exposure to tobacco advertising and to help current smokers quit the habit by reducing their impulse to purchase tobacco products, said the MOH.
Tackling e-cigarettes, online ads
Other regulations, which come into effect on 1 August, include bans on emerging tobacco products and shisha, as well as tightened restrictions on e-cigarettes.
With regard to the latter, the amended TCASA extends current restrictions on e-cigarettes to include those that “do not necessarily bear a physical resemblance to cigarettes or other tobacco products”, the release said. Component parts of such products will also be banned to prevent retailers from importing and reassembling them locally for sale.
The ban on the advertising of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and similar products will also be extended to cover online ads.
Emerging tobacco products, end of shisha grace period
In other areas, nasal snuff, oral snuff, gutkha, khaini and zarda have been added to the list of banned emerging tobacco products, while the grace period given to shisha retailers to deplete their stock will officially end on 1 August as well.
Those found guilty of contravening the ban on emerging tobacco products or shisha shall be liable to a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment of up to six months or both. Second or subsequent convictions bear the penalty of a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both.
