The minimum legal age for smoking in Singapore will be raised from 18 to 21, to make it harder for young people to get hold of cigarettes at a time when they are more vulnerable to peer pressure and the addictive effects of nicotine. The National Health Surveillance Survey showed that Singaporeans are starting to pick up the habit at a younger age.
Professor Chia Kee Seng, Dean of the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health noted that “Tobacco companies are known to target youth in their marketing to get them addicted as early as possible. Youths are also more susceptible to nicotine dependency.”
Media Coverage:
- Today Online, 18 March 2017
- Channel News Asia, 14 March 2017
- The Straits Times, 14 March 2017
- Channel News Asia , 11 March 2017
- The Straits Times, 10 March 2017
- ‘Singapore Tonight’, Channel News Asia, 09 March 2017 (Interview starts from 02:02 to 02:44)