CIGARETTE SMOKING BY PERSONS BELOW 18 YEARS (Effectiveness of control measures)

Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Health since the Smoking (Control of Advertisements and Sale of Tobacco) Act came into force (a) how many persons have been prosecuted for selling or providing cigarettes to persons below the age of 18 years and what was the punishment meted out; and (b) what preventive measures have the Health Promotion Board taken to discourage cigarette smoking among those below 18 years and how effective have been these measures.

The Minister of State for Health (Dr Balaji Sadasivan) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, Sir, a total of 131 retailers have been caught selling or providing tobacco products to those aged 18 years or under since the Act came into force in 1993.

First time offenders pay a compounded fine of $1,000. Repeat offenders are prosecuted in court. Sentences include fines of up to $1,500 and a 3-month suspension of the tobacco licence.

Sir, on the second part of the question, since 1984, the Ministry of Health has been working with the Ministry of Education to reduce smoking rates among students. After the formation of the Health Promotion Board (HPB) in 2001, HPB has taken over the responsibility of driving and managing the programmes which are implemented in schools to encourage students to stay smoke free and to assist those who smoke to quit smoking. Programmes include:

• Incorporating smoking as a topic in the school curriculum from Primary 3 to Secondary 4.

• Use of student peer leaders to spread the smoke free message.

• Training teachers to conduct smoking cessation programmes.

• Providing schools with a grant for students to implement smoking control programmes.

• Promoting soccer and rugby as healthy alternatives to smoking.

• Commissioning theatre companies to perform skits to teach students about the harmful effects of smoking and ways to refuse offers of cigarettes.

This year's National Smoking Control Campaign is targeted at youths, particularly those between 13-18 years.

The measures taken over the years have been effective. A survey conducted among 13,111 secondary one to four students in 2000 showed that, among the respondents, about 96% know that smoking is harmful to their health and 94% know that secondhand smoke is harmful to them.

Among those aged 18-19 years for which longitudinal data is available, the smoking prevalence has declined from 15% in 1992 to 11% in 2001.

HPB will persist in its efforts to counter the influences on youths to smoke. It will look into new and innovative ways to promote the anti-smoking message to the youths in schools and also to out-of-school youths.

Mdm Halimah Yacob (Jurong): Sir, in the same survey cited by the Minister of State, it is also mentioned that one out of every four students managed to sneak a puff at least once, and also the 11% who are considered as smokers because they light up at least once a month. To me, this is alarming. There are two aspects to it: one is deterrent and the other is preventive. We are concentrating on the preventive part. On the deterrent part, 121 convictions for a period of nine years, which is 12 convictions per year, to me, this number is very small. Because, in a report in the Straits Times in February, an 18-year old said that one could actually get cigarettes from any void deck shop, because they do not ask for the age, identification papers, and so on.

Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether there is a mismatch, in terms of the actual incidence of smoking by persons below the age of 18 years and the rate of conviction, and whether there is a need for greater enforcement on the part of the Ministry.

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: Sir, I think both need to be done. We will work with the Police with regard to enforcement of the law. If there is any information as to where these cigarettes are sold, we will pass on the information to the Police who will enforce the law. We are also targeting on prevention. In fact, this year's mass media campaign will be on television, radio, newspapers and magazines, and we are targeting youths, especially those between 13-18 years of age. And we are using international celebrities, like Christy Turlington, a supermodel, Moby, a singer and DJ, as well as local sports celebrities, like Mark Cheng and U. K. Shyam to reach out to the youths to encourage them to stay smoke-free.

Mdm Halimah Yacob: Sir, what specific programmes are being put in place to make sure that the neighbourhood provision shops do not really sell cigarettes to persons under 18 years of age without even asking for identification papers, or whatever? What specific programmes does the Ministry have in place to check this?

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: My Ministry does not enforce the law with regard to smoking. This is done by the Police which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Mdm Halimah Yacob: Sir, if the Ministry does not do enforcement, will the Ministry work with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Police to ensure that a mechanism is put in place for this purpose?

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: Yes, we will work with them.

Dr Lily Neo (Jalan Besar): May I ask the Minister of State whether his Ministry will further facilitate by helping people to stop smoking by subsidising a drug, which can help people stop smoking?

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: In general, our current subsidy rules will apply to all medication. But if there is any specific drug that we should subsidise, and if the proposal is sent to us, we will consider it.

Mdm Cynthia Phua (Aljunied): Sir, can the Minister of State consider working with the Ministry of National Development, in terms of letting out void deck shops to vendors, who could be restricted from selling cigarettes, because a lot of void deck shops are very near to the secondary schools?

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: Sir, we will be happy to work with other Ministries on this issue.

Dr Lily Neo: Will the Minister of State then endorse Nicorette patch, Nicorette stick and Nicorette sweet?

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: Sir, I will not endorse any particular product. If there are any specific schemes that Members of the House have which can help people stop smoking, they may send their ideas to the Ministry. I will study them in detail.