Proposal for Developers, Building Owners and HDB to Provide Enclosed Smoking Rooms

62 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the Ministry will mandate developers, building owners and HDB to provide enclosed smoking rooms or pavilions in a precinct/HDB cluster, similar to what is provided in some airports and Japan, for smokers to smoke within the room and ensure that the smoke will not get into common areas affecting non-smokers.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Smoking facilities such as smoking rooms and pavilions cannot completely eliminate the risks of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke contains pollutants that can seep out of these facilities.

Smoking facilities are also likely to become congregation points for smokers. As our housing estates are well-connected and densely built-up, it may be challenging to find appropriate locations for such facilities. Moreover, the daily sight of smokers gathering at smoking facilities could inadvertently give our youth the impression that it is normal to smoke. We want to avoid this, and therefore have no plans to mandate the provision of smoking facilities in residential precincts or housing clusters.

Our approach to protecting residents from second-hand smoke has been to progressively extend the smoking prohibition to as many public areas as possible. Within housing estates, these include places such as sheltered walkways, exercise areas, playgrounds, and common areas of residential buildings such as void decks and lift lobbies. The National Environment Agency will continue to monitor and enforce against smoking violations at these locations.

We urge smokers to abide by the smoking prohibition, and strive to give up the habit for the benefit of their own health, their loved ones, and the community.