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Singapore's Smoking Ban

If you are a non-smoker, you ain't gonna like this post. I am a smoker. Have been for the last 25 years. The following are my views and I'm sure it's shared by smokers alike.

The extension of the smoking ban is DUMB. When this country first banned smoking at bus stops, parks and entrances of buildings, I thought that while it was an inconvenience, it was a good move. Children are around these areas so if we can protect them, then it's cool. I didn't mind the restricted 20% of floor space smoking area at a coffeeshop, food court or hawker centre too. I don't hang around after I eat but if I do it's for a beer drinking session.

The new ban announced in Parliament a few days ago includes staircases, void decks and common corridors. So folks that choose not to smoke in their houses can't smoke outside their flats now?! What's next?? The government banning smoking in homes?!

List of Smoke Free Zones in Singapore
- Any amusement centre.
- Any foodshop (most have smoking areas 20% of the floor area).
- Halls, ballrooms and function room.
- Cinemas.
- Office premises.
- Factories.
- Enclosed corridor, lobby and stairwell.
- Shopping Malls.
- Underground pedestrian walkway (tunnels).
- Any area occupied by a queue of 2 or more persons in a public place.
- Any shop.
- Restaurants, bowling alleys and billiard saloons.
- All schools.
- Public swimming pools.
- All washrooms, includes public or private owned. (toilets).
- Sports stadiums.
- Community buildings managed by the People's Association.
- Bus interchange and terminals.
- Discotheques, bars pubs and night clubs.
- Hotel lobbies.
- All car parks.
- All markets.
- All playgrounds.
- Ferry terminals.
- All buses and taxis.

Soon to be added
- Common corridors, void decks and staircases within residential buildings.
- Sheltered walkways.
- Overhead bridges.
- Outdoor hospital compounds.
- Five meter radius around bus shelters.

This is the thing I don't get. Smokers here pay taxes like the non-smokers. But it seems we have lesser rights. We pay top dollar for our cigarettes. I love Malaysia because of two reasons. Cigarettes are so much cheaper there and one is free to smoke almost anywhere they want! Yes even the hotels and restaurants. Malacca is different however but I'm sure their smoking ban won't last long.

My question to the government is this. You're always listening to what the non-smokers have to say. Some have whined like a BITCH! "Oh I can't breathe!!". "The smell is horrible". Why can't you as the government listen to the smokers for a change. 

What about listening to some of your ministers who do smoke? Wait, you can't! These ministers don't hang out in parks, they don't go to coffeeshops, they don't take the bus and they sure as hell don't live in a HDB flat!

6 comments:

  1. HAHAHA. last part was great, i'm a non-smoker, but that makes a lot of sense.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dont you think youre going out too far now regarding this one? The government doesnt "listen to the non-smokers", for any change mind you, because they dont encourage smoking. What the ministers do is entirely up to themselves.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think I am. I know they don't encourage smoking and that is understandable. I just don't like the ridiculous regulations.

      Delete

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