From 1 January 2021, the legal smoking age in Singapore will be raised to 21. In addition, smoking prevalence among high school, ITE and middle school students decreased from 8% in 2011-2013 to 4% in 2014-2016. From 1 January 2020, the legal minimum age is currently 20 years. The legal minimum age was raised for the first time from 18 to 19 on 1 January 2019 and from 19 to 20 on 1 January 2020. « It aims to prevent young people from starting to smoke by restricting access to tobacco products and further denormalise smoking, especially for those under 21, » the Ministry of Health said in a press release on Wednesday (30 December). The gradual increase in the age limit over the years is part of the Ministry of Health`s (MOH) smoke-free laws passed in 2017. SINGAPORE: As the legal smoking age rises from 20 to 21 on Jan. 1, retailers are giving updates to their employees and preparing to install signs informing customers of the change. Gan said the goal is to « denormalize » tobacco use among young people under 21, restrict access to tobacco in their social circles and reduce the risk of « smoking initiation. » Retailers found guilty of breaking the law and selling tobacco products to a person under the legal age are liable to a fine of up to $5,000 for the first offence and $10,000 for subsequent offences. This is the third and final change to the minimum age under amendments to the Tobacco Act (control of advertising and sales) passed by Parliament in November 2017. Other efforts undertaken by the ministry, in collaboration with the Health Promotion Council and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), include public education, taxes, smoking cessation programs, tobacco advertising bans, sales bans and standardized tobacco packaging. The Ministry of Health said it aims to prevent young Singaporeans from starting to smoke by restricting access to tobacco products, and further denormalise smoking among those under 21. In November 2017, Parliament passed legislation that would raise the minimum age for smokers from 18 to 21 within three years.
SINGAPORE – The legal age for buying, consuming, possessing, selling and supplying tobacco products will increase from the current 20 to 21 on January 1, 2021. Wednesday (30. In December), the Ministry of Health reminded the public of the changes, saying raising the legal minimum age was part of Singapore`s ongoing efforts to reduce smoking prevalence. HAO Mart store managers will notify employees of the upcoming minimum age change, a spokesperson said. These information sessions are underway and will be held in person or by telephone. The rising age will be a barrier for young people to start smoking, as most Singaporeans who start the habit do so at the age of 21, said public health expert Yvette van der Eijk of the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. Dr. van der Eijk said raising the minimum age was not a « silver bullet » for reducing tobacco consumption, although it would help reduce smoking rates, among other measures introduced in recent years. These include the ban on tobacco displays in shops and the obligation to sell tobacco products in plain packaging. Retail chains and independent sellers said they were ready for the revised minimum age. The minimum age to buy, consume, possess, sell or provide tobacco products was raised from 18 to 19 in 2019 and from 19 to 20 in 2020 as part of the government`s plans to reduce smoking.
Citing research from the Health Promotion Council (HBO) on why teens started smoking, he wrote: « The main reasons. are the social influence of friends and the perception that smoking is « cool ». Noting that smoking among teenagers has declined over the years, Gan explained that smoking prevalence among Singapore-based adolescents aged 18 to 29 increased from 17.2 percent in 2007 to 9.9 percent in 2017. Foochow Coffee Restaurant & Bar Merchants Association president Hong Poh Hin said his group would send letters to its roughly 400 members next week reminding them to put notices somewhere visible. The letter will also urge café owners to ensure their workers follow the rule and are « very careful » when checking ID cards, as 20-year-old customers who have been able to buy cigarettes for a while this year will not be able to do so from Friday until the age of 21. Hong said. who runs a café in Serangoon. « When in doubt, they should politely ask for proper identification to confirm the customer`s age. No sale will be made if the customer cannot provide a valid photo ID, » the FairPrice spokesperson added. There are currently 148 FairPrice outlets and 144 Cheers convenience stores selling tobacco products.