Singapore widens smoking ban to more public spots

Singapore said on Tuesday it would widen its ban on smoking to include bus shelters, public toilets, swimming complexes, stadiums and community clubs by Oct. 1, as part of its aggressive anti-tobacco campaign.

This may be extended to pubs and bars by year-end, while a decision on areas like hawker centres and coffee shops will be made by then, said a spokeswoman from the National Environment Agency.

The wealthy city-state looks set to follow Ireland, which in March led the world in becoming the first country to ban smoking in pubs.

Singapore has already required tobacco producers since August to cover half of each pack of cigarettes with grisly images such as a mouthful of rotten teeth or diseased organs.

Cigarette prices have risen regularly, tobacco advertisements have been banned since the 1970s and the government lifted a 12-year ban on chewing gum this year to allow the sale of nicotine gum - to help smokers to quit.

A smoking ban now covers public transport, elevators, theatres, government offices, air-conditioned restaurants, shopping centres and queues of more than two people - such as at taxi stands.

According to official statistics, the number of smokers is steadily falling, from 20 percent of Singapore's population in 1984 to 14 percent in 2001. But the numbers of young female smokers are on the rise.