Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on Sustainability-friendly Measures in Supermarkets by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment

Oral Reply by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, to Parliamentary Question on Smoking Around Playgrounds

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry will consider specifying a fixed radius around playgrounds where smoking is prohibited; (b) if so, whether the Ministry will consider a radius further than five metres, considering the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke to children; and (c) if not, what are the reasons for not specifying a radius.

Answer:

1 Under the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Regulations, smoking has been prohibited at all publicly accessible playgrounds since 2009. Smoking at amenities adjacent to playgrounds such as chairs, benches and sidewalks that are for users of the playground and their care givers, is also prohibited. This serves as a buffer area to protect the playground users from second-hand tobacco smoke. My Ministry will review the smoking prohibition regulations from time to time.