No smoking in Orchard Road from January 1, 2019 in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Orchard Road will stop smoking as of January 1st of next year. Lighting in public areas will only be allowed in smoking areas and there will be more smoking areas in the restaurants in the area.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) will reinforce advertising for the tobacco-free zone in the coming weeks through signs, advertisements and other efforts to keep locals and tourists informed, said Wednesday in an update on Wednesday, November 28th.

The sector-wide smoking ban, announced for the first time last year, was scheduled to come into effect in July of this year, but was postponed until the end of the year to region more time to prepare.

Approximately 40 designated smoking areas have been put in place as of November 22 in appropriate locations to ensure that the main traffic lane of Orchard Road will be free of cigarette smoke, said NEA.

Most smoking areas are spaced 100 to 200 m apart.

Brochures listing locations of designated smoking areas will be distributed in malls and tobacco outlets, while signs will be installed near streetlights and bins in the area, the agency said.

Advertisements will also be posted at MRT stations, at some bus stops and on buses running on Orchard Road.

In order to keep foreign visitors informed, the Singapore Tourism Board has included on its website information about the non-smoking area, lined by the Tanglin Mall in the west, the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station at the airport. East and the Goodwood Park Hotel to the north.

Advertising material will also be posted at points of entry, such as Changi Airport, Singapore Cruise Center and Marina Bay Cruise Center, and travel agents, tour guides and hotels will be notified.

The NEA has stated that it will adopt a "consultative approach" for the first three months of deployment, when people caught smoking outside of smoking areas will receive a verbal warning.

Repeat offenders and persons arrested on or after April 1, however, face a fine of up to $ 1,000.

"The NEA will ensure compliance with the no smoking zone on Orchard Road and will reinforce the presence of the police when necessary." The law also requires operators and managers of non-smoking premises to ask smokers to quit or direct them to the nearest area if they wish, to wish to continue smoking, "he said in a statement.