Another 118 will set up smoking rooms or corners

Jun 29, 2007
AsiaOne

You don't have to worry about smoke getting in your eyes at over 700 entertainment outlets in Singapore from this Sunday.

A total of 777 have set up smoking rooms or corners, with 427 declaring that they will go totally smoke-free, said the National Evironment Agency.

Another 118 such outlets have indicated they will follow suit.

The remaining 350 outlets had not stated whether they will be setting up smoking rooms orcorners. However, from July 1, the smoking prohibition will still be applied on them as if they are totally smoke-free, said NEA in a statement today.

These outlets can still submit their application to set up smoking rooms orcorners at any point after July 1.

A smoking room is a separately ventilated room that is designed to contain smoke and to expel the air outdoors. It cannot exceed 10% of the space that falls under the indoor refreshment area. A smoking corner is a designated place that cannot exceed 20% of the outdoor refreshment area, and has to be clearly marked as such. Details on the specifications for smoking rooms and corners can be found at NEA's website.

"If a person smokes in a specified place, the manager or operator is required to inform the smoker to cease smoking immediately or leave the place," said the NEA.

"If there is a complaint by a patron on breach of the smoking ban, the manager or operator is required to investigate into the complaint and, if the complaint is found to be true, take the necessary action to deal with the breach i.e. informing the smoker to stub out or to leave the place."

If the person refuses to do so, the manager may seek assistance from NEA by calling NEA Hotline at 1800-CALL-NEA.

Any smoker who abuses, threatens, obstructs the licensee/operator from enforcing the ban will be sent to court where they may be imposed with fines of up to $1,000, or a jail term of up to 6 months, or both.

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