NEA is extending the smoking ban to more places with effect from 15 January 2013. The new list of smoke free areas that have been included in the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act covers common areas of residential buildings such as common corridors, staircases, stairwells and void decks as well as multi-purpose halls, covered walkways and linkways, all pedestrian overhead bridges, within 5 metres of bus shelters and hospital outdoor compounds. Smokers who wish to smoke may do so at other areas. Please see the list of areas where smoking is allowed here.

There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke, hence the concern on its harmful effects. Also, the majority of Singapore’s adult population are non-smokers. Second hand smoke contributes to a range of serious and often fatal diseases, including heart disease, respiratory illness and lung and other cancers. We hence encourage smokers to play their part to observe the ban.

We also encourage non-smokers to be gracious when they see smokers lighting up in a prohibited area, reminding them gently that smoking is banned and requesting them to finish their cigarette elsewhere.

Together, we can make Singapore a cleaner and healthier place for all to live in.

Where are the areas where smoking is disallowed?

Smoking is prohibited in the following areas:-

• Any amusement centre.

• Any foodshop, except that the Director-General may designate for smoking, such part of the outdoor refreshment area of the food shop not exceeding 20% of the total floor area of that outdoor refreshment area. 

• Any hall, ballroom or function room (including any such premises located in a hotel) during such time when it is used for holding a meeting, conference, seminar, course or an exhibition or for the purpose of serving meals.

• Any cinema or theatre.

• Any enclosed premises of a bank to which members of the public have access for the purpose of carrying out banking transactions.

• Any clinical laboratory, healthcare establishment, hospital, maternity home, medical clinic or nursing home.

• Any indoor ice-skating rink, roller-skating rink or roller-discotheque.

• Any indoor sports arena, bowling alley, billiard saloon, gymnasium or aerobic or fitness centre.

• Any lift, including the lift lobby.

• Any public library or any library in any institution of higher learning.

• Any public museum or public art gallery.

• Any office premises, except that the manager of such premises may designate for smoking, any enclosed room therein -

  (a) which is independently ventilated; and

  (b) which is not -

  (i) required to be used by any person employed in such premises for the performance of the duties of his employment; or

  (ii) a pantry or other common area to which persons employed in such premises have access.

• Any factory.

• Any enclosed corridor, lobby, stairwell or other common area of -

  (a) any building which wholly or principally consists of office premises; or

  (b) such part of any building which consists wholly or principally of office premises.

• Any common area of any residential premises or building, including any atrium, courtyard, common corridor, lobby, void deck or stairwell.

• Any multi-purpose hall used or intended to be used for communal and social functions and gathering.

• The Supreme Court, the Subordinate Courts and Small Claims Tribunals.

• Any enclosed area in the terminal buildings of Singapore Changi Airport, except that the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore may designate for smoking, any enclosed room therein -

  (a) which is independently ventilated; and

  (b) which is not -

  (i) required to be used by any person employed in such terminal buildings for the performance of the duties of his employment; or

  (ii) a pantry or other common area to which persons employed in such terminal buildings have access.

• Any shopping mall or complex, including any atrium, courtyard, corridor, lobby, stairwell or other area within the shopping mall or complex.

• Any covered or underground pedestrian walkway, whether permanent or temporary

• Any covered drop-off or pick-up point for passengers in vehicles, whether permanent or temporary and whether connected to a covered pedestrian walkway or otherwise.

• Any pedestrian overhead bridge.

• Any area occupied by a queue of 2 or more persons in a public place.

• Any shop.

• Any restaurant, bowling alley, billiard saloon, arcade games room (including jackpot machine room), gymnasium, fitness centre, library, reading room, theatre or cinema in any private club.

• Any school, junior college, polytechnic or any training institute established under the Institute of Technical Education Act (Cap. 141A), including any area within its compound.

• Any enclosed part of any building, hall of residence, canteen, lecture theatre, sports and recreation centre or stairwell in any university.

• Any public swimming pool, including any changing or shower room, or any area in the vicinity of such swimming pool which is likely to be frequented by any user of the swimming pool.

• Any washroom (including any mobile toilet), whether managed privately or otherwise, to which members of the public or a section of the public have or ordinarily would have access whether on payment of a fee or otherwise.

• Any sports stadium, including any facility, shop or common area within its compound.

• Any community building, community centre or community club belonging to or managed or maintained by the People’s Association, including any facility, shop or common area within its compound.

• Any bus interchange or bus terminus (except a bus terminus which is situated along the side of a road and does not provide for boarding of or alighting by passengers), including any facility, shop or common area within its compound.

• Any bus stop or bus shelter, including any area within a radius of 5 metres from the outer edge of the shelter or, where there is no such shelter, from the bus stop pole

• Any hawker centre, except that the Director-General may designate for smoking -

  (a) such part of the outdoor refreshment area of the hawker centre not exceeding 20% of the total outdoor seating capacity; or

  (b) where the hawker centre does not have an outdoor refreshment area, such part of the indoor refreshment area of the hawker centre not exceeding 10% of the total indoor seating capacity.

• Any discotheque, pub, bar, lounge or night club in any premises or building (including any private club), except that the Director-General may, subject to such conditions as he may specify, designate for smoking -

  (a) such part of the outdoor refreshment area of the discotheque, pub, bar, lounge or night club not exceeding 20% of the total floor area of that outdoor refreshment area; and

  (b) any enclosed and independently ventilated room not exceeding 10% of the total indoor refreshment area of the discotheque, pub, bar, lounge or night club.

• Any hotel lobby.

• Any cark park —

  (a) in a multi-storey building; or

  (b) in the basement of a building, including any corridor, lobby, stairwell or other common area within the car park, but excluding any uncovered area of the car park.

• Any market.

• Any playground or exercise area to which members of the public or a section of the public has or ordinarily would have access (whether on payment of a fee or otherwise), including any sidewalk, chair or bench or other adjacent amenity for the users of the playground or exercise area or for care givers accompanying such users.

• The following ferry terminials and piers:

  (a)West Coast Pier;

  (b) Marina South Pier;

  (c) Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal;

  (d) Regional Ferry Terminal at Harbour Front;

  (e) Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal;

  (f) Changi Point Ferry Terminal;

  (g) Changi Ferry Terminal.

• Any of the following areas adjacent to any building specified in any of the items from items 1 to 36 that is used for commercial, industrial or recreational purposes or to which members of the public or a section of the public has or ordinarily would have access (whether on payment of a fee or otherwise):

  (a) any part of any porch, portico, porte-cochere, vestibule, foyer, verandah of the building , or any five foot way or other covered pedestrian thoroughfare, whhich lies within a radius of 5 metres from the outer edge of —

  (i) any ventilation intake of building;

  (ii) any external window or other opening that opens into or onto any interior part of the building; or

  (iii) any part of the entrance to or exit from any such building while either public access to the building, or access usually available by the entrance or exit to enable the building to be used in a way it is ordinarily used, is available by that entrance or exit;

  (b) any uncovered area which lies within a radius of 5 metres from the outer edge of —

  (i) any ventilation intake of building;

  (ii) any external window or other opening that opens into or onto any interior part of the building; or

  (iii) any part of the entrance to or exit from any such building while either public access to the building, or access usually available by the entrance or exit to enable the building to be used in a way it is ordinarily used, is available by that entrance or exit;

• Any omnibus.

• Any private bus.

• Any private hire bus.

• Any school bus.

• Any taxi.