Inter-Ministerial Committee to Enhance Outreach Efforts to Smokers on Smoking Hazards
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns whether an inter-Ministerial committee exists to educate smokers on health hazards, as raised by Er Dr Lee Bee Wah. Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong responded that while no formal committee exists, the Ministry of Health collaborates with various government agencies and educational institutions. Key initiatives include incorporating anti-tobacco messages into school curricula, deploying Student Health Advisors, and conducting interactive workshops for approximately 50,000 students annually. The Health Promotion Board also facilitates the "I Quit" cessation program in workplaces and communities and conducts smoking cessation workshops for Singapore Armed Forces servicemen. Furthermore, the Ministry mandates regularly updated graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging and provides support through the QuitLine and the HealthHub digital portal.
Transcript
59 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Health whether there is an inter-Ministerial committee looking at the different ways to educate smokers on smoking hazards.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: While there is no formal inter-Ministerial committee to oversee the efforts to educate smokers on smoking hazards, the Ministry of Health (MOH) works closely with relevant Government agencies and educational institutions to educate Singaporeans on the health risks of tobacco use and to help smokers quit smoking.
For example, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) works closely with the Ministry of Education and Institutes of Higher Learning to incorporate anti-tobacco messages into the schools' curriculum and co-curricular activities. This is to raise awareness about the benefits of leading a tobacco-free lifestyle and to inform youths on the harms of tobacco smoking. In addition, Student Health Advisors are deployed to some schools to provide support and counselling to students on health issues, including smoking cessation counselling. HPB also organises interactive programmes, such as skits and workshops, to discourage experimentation with tobacco products and teach students ways to refuse offers to smoke. Our outreach efforts have reached out to about 50,000 students in 2016.
HPB launched the "I Quit" programme in 2011 and worked with the People's Association and employers to organise roadshows at community events and workplaces to encourage smokers to sign-up for the I Quit 28-Day Countdown smoking cessation programme. HPB also works closely with the Ministry of Defence on smoking cessation workshops to educate Singapore Armed Forces Servicemen on the harmful effects of smoking and encourage them to quit smoking. Smokers can call HPB's QuitLine or access online resources, such as the HPB HealthHub portal, for additional support to quit smoking. In 2016, these programmes reached out to more than 16,000 smokers.
In addition, MOH has mandated graphic health warnings on the harms of smoking on tobacco product packaging since 2004. These are revised on a regular basis to ensure their relevance.
We will continue to press on with anti-smoking public educational efforts and collaborate with the various agencies in this area where necessary.