Singapore

COMMENTS: Relevant to tobacco control, the Road Traffic Act provides a definition of the term “public service vehicle.” The definition is referenced in the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Notification. The Road Traffic Act was originally enacted in 1963, and was last amended on July 20, 2010.

COMMENTS: Relevant to tobacco control, the Air Navigation Order restricts smoking on aircraft and establishes duties to post signs in the aircraft indicating where smoking is prohibited. In addition, the Order lays out penalties for violations of these provisions. The Air Navigation Order was most recently amended on April 1, 2011.

COMMENTS: Relevant to tobacco control, the Environmental Public Health Act provides definitions of several terms referenced in the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Notification. These terms include “food establishment” and “market.” The Environmental Public Health Act was most recently amended by Act 15 of 2010.

COMMENTS: Relevant to tobacco control, the Rapid Transit Systems Regulations prohibit individuals from smoking or carrying a lighted tobacco product where doing so is expressly prohibited by notice. The regulations also establish sanctions and grant enforcement authority. The regulations were amended in 2003.

COMMENTS: The Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act is one of the primary tobacco control laws in Singapore. The law authorizes the National Environmental Agency to designate places and public vehicles as smoke free. The law itself does not enumerate these places; instead, they are found in the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Notification issued by the Agency. In addition to the grant of authority, the law establishes duties of managers and operators, enforcement powers and officers, and penalties. The Act was last amended by Act 47 of 2004.

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act is one of the primary tobacco control laws in Singapore. The law restricts the tobacco advertising and youth access to tobacco products, regulates product packaging and labeling, and prohibits the import, distribution, sale, possession, use, and advertising of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. The Act was originally entitled the Smoking (Control of Advertisements and Sale of Tobacco) Act. The title was revised in 2010. In addition, the Act has been amended several times, most recently by Act 31 of 2022.

COMMENTS: The Smoking (Control of Advertisements and Sale of Tobacco) (Composition of Offences) Regulations designates any and all offenses referred to in the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act and any regulations promulgated under that law as compoundable offenses, pursuant to Sec. 34 of the Act. By designating these offenses as compoundable, the Chief Executive of the Health Sciences Authority has the option to collect a certain monetary penalty from a person who has committed an offense in exchange for dropping any further proceedings related to the offense. The regulations were first issued in 1993 and have been revised several times, most recently in 2004.

COMMENTS: The Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Notification designates the places where smoking is prohibited under the Act. In the First Schedule, the Notification identifies the premises and buildings in which smoking is banned. The Second Schedule lists the public service vehicles in which smoking is banned. The Notification also contains several key definitions. The Notification was last amended on October 1, 2017.

COMMENTS: The Broadcasting Act regulates broadcasting services, including aspects such as licensing, frequencies, public service broadcasting, facilities and equipment, and corporate aspects of broadcasting companies. In addition, the Act empowers the Info-Communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) to impose sanctions against service providers who violate codes of practice issued by the IMDA. The Act was last amended by Act 22 of 2016, effective October 1, 2016.

COMMENTS: The Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) (Compositions of Offences) Regulations identify specific offenses under the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act that may be compounded at the discretion of the Director-General. By compounding an offense, the individual in violation may pay a set monetary penalty in exchange for having further charges related to the offense dropped. The regulations establish the amount to be offered to compound certain offenses under the Act.

COMMENTS: The Rapid Transit Systems Act includes penalty provisions that are relevant to tobacco control. Under the Act, officials can “compound” certain offenses. By doing so, the person in violation agrees to pay a certain sum of money as a penalty in exchange for having any further proceedings related to the offense dropped. Offenses that may be compounded include those enumerated in the Rapid Transit Systems Regulations that relate to restrictions on smoking. The Act was last amended by Act 21 of 2010.

COMMENTS: The Smoking (Control of Advertisements and Sale of Tobacco) (Foreign Newspapers) (Consolidation) Notification exercises the authority granted in Sec. 7(1) of the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act. Section 7(1) permits the Minister of Health to specify foreign newspapers that are subject to the prohibitions on tobacco advertising contained in the Act. In the Notification issued in 2000 and uploaded here, the Minister identified 21 foreign newspapers that are subject to the advertising prohibitions.

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

COMMENTS: The Free-to-Air Radio Programme Code is one of several codes of practice issued by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. The Code outlines the standards that radio programming must meet.

COMMENTS: The Railways Act is the source of tobacco control policy on trains in Singapore. The law defines the term “railway,” provides penalties for those who smoke or consume other tobacco products where prohibited, and designates an enforcement authority. The Railways Act was most recently amended by Act 4 of 1999.

COMMENTS: The Video-on-Demand Programme Code is one of several codes of practice issued by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. The Code applies to services that allow consumers to select and view programs at any time upon request. It applies to services offered through television, computer, and any other device. The Code outlines the general standards that must be observed by video-on-demand service providers in offering programming of this kind.

COMMENTS: The Television Programme Sponsorship Code is one of several codes of practice issued by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. It addresses advertiser involvement in television programming and promotional time, as opposed to advertisements. The Code discusses tobacco products under its section on unacceptable sponsorship.

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Licensing of Importers, Wholesalers and Retailers) Regulations 2010 set forth the licensing procedures and requirements for the import and sale of tobacco products. Licenses are required both for individuals engaged in the tobacco trade (e.g., importers, wholesalers, and retailers) and the premises where tobacco products are sold. The regulations were amended in 2015 and revoked in 2017.

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Limits on Certain Substances) Regulations 2010 establishes the maximum amounts of nicotine and tar per cigarette. These regulations have been amended twice, most recently in 2012.

COMMENTS: Section 6.2.1 of the Singapore General Aviation Requirements – Aeroplanes, Revision 1 requires the aircraft crew to notify passengers of restrictions on smoking prior to the flight commencing.

COMMENTS: The Radio Advertising and Sponsorship Code is one of several codes of practice issued by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. The Code establishes the general principles and guidelines all radio broadcasters must abide by in producing their radio programs.

COMMENTS: The Free-to-Air Television Programme Code is one of several codes of practice issued by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. The Code outlines the general standards to be observed by broadcasters of free-to-air television. Relevant to tobacco control, the Code includes guidelines that address the depiction of tobacco products in children’s programs and awarding tobacco products as contest prizes.

COMMENTS: The Subscription Television Programme Code is one of several codes of practice issued by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. The Code establishes the general standards to be observed by subscription television providers in offering scheduled programming.

COMMENTS: The TV Advertising Code is one of several codes of practice issued by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. The Code outlines the general standards to be observed for advertisements shown on television broadcast services, including “Free-to-Air Television” and “Subscription Television.”

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Labelling) Regulations 2012 govern tobacco product packaging and labeling, including establishing the requirements for pictorial health warnings on smoked tobacco product packages.

These regulations were revoked by the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Appearance, Packaging and Labelling) Regulations 2019.

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Prohibited Tobacco Products) Regulations 2014 (as amended) contain categories of tobacco products the import, distribution, and sale of which is prohibited. The named categories currently include oral and nasal snuff, shisha tobacco, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (e.g., electronic cigarettes). The version uploaded here includes amendments through February 1, 2018.

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

COMMENTS: The Info-Communications Media Development Authority Act 2016 established the Info-Communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) in 2016, merging two previous agencies into one entity. In addition to establishing the IMDA, the Act outlines the IMDA’s functions and powers, including the power to issue codes of practice for a variety of broadcast media.

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Ban on Display of Tobacco Products) Regulations 2017 provide additional details related to the point of sale display ban. The regulations include information around price lists and storage requirements. The version uploaded here includes amendments through January 1, 2019.

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Exemption for Duty-free Retailers and Specialist Tobacconists) Order 2017 provides exemptions to certain duty-free shops and specialists tobacconists with respect to the ban on product display at points of sale.

This order was revoked by the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Exemption for Duty-free Retailers and Specialist Tobacconists) Order 2022.

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Licensing) Regulations 2017 address requirements and processes related to licenses required for dealing with tobacco products. These regulations revoked the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Licensing of Importers, Wholesalers and Retailers) Regulations 2010 (as amended). The version uploaded here includes amendments through December 18, 2023.

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Appearance, Packaging and Labelling) Regulations 2019 requires that all tobacco products be in plain packaging. In addition, the regulations establish the next round of health warnings required to cover 75% of the front and back of packages. These regulations revoked the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Labelling) Regulations 2012. The version uploaded here includes amendments through July 1, 2020.

COMMENTS: The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Exemption for Duty-free Retailers and Specialist Tobacconists) Order 2022 provides exemptions to certain duty-free shops and specialists tobacconists with respect to the ban on product display at points of sale. This order revoked the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Exemption for Duty-free Retailers and Specialist Tobacconists) Order 2017.