Singapore's Ministry of Health has announced plans to ban existing and emerging tobacco products in two phases as a "pre-emptive measure to protect public health against the known and potential harms of such products".
"Besides protecting the public from the health risks associated with the consumption of emerging tobacco products, the ban is aimed at ensuring that the targeted emerging tobacco products do not gain a foothold or become entrenched in the Singapore market," the statement said.
In addition to preventing these products from "stimulating demand for and thereby increasing the prevalence of tobacco consumption", it will also prevent such products from becoming "gateway" or "starter" products for non-smokers, it added.
In a statement released on 15 June, the ministry said under the first phase, tobacco products that are currently not available in Singapore will be banned with effect from 15 December 2015.
The second phase will cover a ban on products already available in the market and will take effect from 1 August 2016. The delay in the ban is to allow for businesses to "adjust their operating models and deplete their existing stocks of such products."
On 9 June, the Welsh government announced plans to put in place legislation to ban e-cigarettes in public places.
Source: International Business Times
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