Extension of
non-smoking places in Singapore mulled
The National
Environment Agency (NEA)
said it is considering expanding the number of places where smoking
is banned in Singapore.
In line with this, the agency, in partnership with
the Health
Promotion Board (HPB),
launched an "e-poll" on Friday inviting feedback from the public.
It asked for answers to 15 questions, including whether the
respondent would like common HDB areas, walkways, parks, beaches
and other areas to be smoke free.
According to the e-poll
descritpion,
smoking is currently prohibited in 37 categories of specified
places and five categories of public transport, such as shopping
centres, offices, schools, lift lobbies, playgrounds, and basement
and multi-storey carparks.
"Environmental tobacco smoke or second-hand smoke increases the
risk of lung cancer by 20-30 per cent, and heart disease by 25-30
per cent. Non-smokers exposed to tobacco smoke also suffer from
respiratory diseases such as coughs, colds and shortness of
breath," NEA pointed
out in its poll,
which will run until the end of the year.
More than 86 per cent of Singapore's adult population are
non-smokers, according to the agency.