# Non-smokers may now move to Singapore. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 22, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-smokers-may-now-move-to-singapore/322892 "2005-09-22T15:09:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-smokers-may-now-move-to-singapore/322892/1 "2005-09-22T15:09:12Z")
I wouldn’t have believed it myself, but there it is. [National Cancer Centre to spearhead campaign for tobacco ban](http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/169483/1/.html) > [@](#): > > SINGAPORE : In a bold attempt to fight cancer in Asia, nine National Cancer Centres in Asia - including Singapore, China, Japan, Korea and Bangladesh - have signed a landmark agreement. > > They will work with their respective governments to ban tobacco. If there’s any country that can make this work, Singapore probably is it… but still, I’m amazed that they actually have the balls to push this through. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-smokers-may-now-move-to-singapore/322892/2 "2005-09-22T15:39:36Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > If there’s any country that can make this work, Singapore probably is it… but still, I’m amazed that they actually have the balls to push this through. Amazed in what way? Because smokers can’t switch to gum without being caned? ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-smokers-may-now-move-to-singapore/322892/3 "2005-09-23T09:25:30Z")
Someone actually wants to ban smoking in _China_? Next up - let’s try to get Jamaica to ban marijuana. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-smokers-may-now-move-to-singapore/322892/4 "2005-09-23T11:42:53Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Someone actually wants to ban smoking in _China_? > > Next up - let’s try to get Jamaica to ban marijuana. Really. People I know who’ve been to Asia say that people there smoke like a forest fire. Apparently, the attitude toward smoking is similar to what you see in old Humphry Bogart movies. ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-smokers-may-now-move-to-singapore/322892/5 "2005-09-23T12:52:04Z")
Japan and Korea are full of smokers, too. Don’t know about Bangladesh. Lee Kwan-yew, Singapore’s founder / former leader / elder statesman / still-leader-in-practice / pain-in-ass-busybody is a reformed smoker. If you ever invite him to a function, he probably won’t come. But if he did accept, his staff would tell you that the room/s he will enter must have had no smoking in them for a set time beforehand (several days, if I recall), and there must be no smoking anywhere near him while he graces you with his presence. (Superfluous plug for my [opinion of Singapore](http://www.geocities.com/hkhemlock/mus-sin.html). ) ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-smokers-may-now-move-to-singapore/322892/6 "2005-09-23T18:19:17Z")
Actually, you don’t get caned for chewing gum in Singapore. It’s legal to chew gums, but a crime to bring them in – and for getting caught, you won’t be caned. Caning is usually resevered for vandalism, rape and other serious crimes. And…Singapore has always been anti-smoking. There already has been a ban on smoking in air-conditioned areas, and recently there’s one for smoking in public areas. Anti-smoking campagins is almost year-round. The thing is – well, it is simply not as effective as the government hoped. People are still smoking away, merrily. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-smokers-may-now-move-to-singapore/322892/7 "2005-09-23T22:15:39Z")
Non-smokers weren’t allowed there before? :dubious: 😛