Jump to full article: Straits Times (sg), 2009-08-03
Author: Salma Khalik , HEALTH CORRESPONDENT
Intro: THE screws against smoking - particularly among the younger set - are to be tightened further.
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) and the Health Sciences Authority have drawn up proposed measures to discourage smoking and tobacco addiction among them.
These range from heavier fines for underage smoking and giving the Health Minister the clout to ban the sale of certain tobacco products, to barring some places from selling them, as well as lowering permitted tar and nicotine levels.
Four weeks have been set aside for public consultation, beginning today.
The trigger for these stricter regulations lies in statistics: The number of smokers aged between 18 and 29 jumped 40 per cent in three years from 2004; significantly, one in four males in this age bracket now smoke.
Nationally, smokers made up 13.6 per cent of the population in 2007, up from 12.6 per cent in 2004. More than 65 retailers were caught for selling to customers under 18 last year . . .
The public can give its feedback on the proposals at www.hpb.gov.sg or www.moh.gov.sg by Aug 28.
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