Singapore to ban imitation tobacco products like e-cigarettes starting Feb. 1
From Feb. 1, it will be illegal to buy, use and possess emerging and imitation tobacco products such as smokeless tobacco products, chewing tobacco and shisha, as the first phase of amendments to the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act kick in, The Jakarta Post reports.
With the new amendments, anyone caught buying, possessing or using such products can be fined up to $2,000, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement on Friday.
Currently, only importation, sale and distribution of such products are illegal.
Those found guilty of carrying out such acts can be jailed for up to six months and/or fined up to $10,000 for the first offence.
Repeat offenders face twice those penalties.
Smoking in Singapore was first banned in buses, cinemas and theaters in September 1970, and it was later extended to indoor locations where it is frequented by most people. The offender can face a fine of $150 up to $800.
To note, a draft law on reducing and preventing the harmful effects of the use of tobacco products has recently been proposed in Armenia. The new measure limits the smoking in public places and increases the amount of fines for the offenders.