Some 145 provision stores, coffeeshops and independent retailers
will be pulling cigarettes off the shelves on Friday in support of
World No Tobacco Day. They join major supermarket chains such as
Cold Storage, Giant, Sheng Siong and NTUC Fairprice in this effort
to highlight the harms of smoking.
Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary
Secretary (Health and Transport), said he is heartened that more
small retailers are supporting this initiative, which has been run
by the Health Promotion Board for a number of years.
Speaking during a visit to some of the participating retailers on
Thursday he added: "This may be a small but significant step as it
is indicative of the community spirit and willingness to work
together to promote a tobacco-free lifestyle as the social
norm."
One such participant is Sin Wah Hong coffeeshop in Geylang. Its
owner Mr Tan Biing Yan, 40, said he wanted to do his part to
discourage the next generation from taking up the habit. "It will
improve the coffeeshop culture as well, because some people don't
like others to smoke beside them when they are eating," he
said.
about World No Tobacco Day
