Government should consider ban on cigarettes

Our government has already banned smoking in air-conditioned buildings including restaurants and workplaces, and had extended to hawker centres, air-conditioned karaoke lounges and nightclubs from July 2007. It also has raised the tax on cigarettes and packets bear shocking photos of the harmful effects of smoking.

The NEA smoking ban has extended further into many locations including like playgrounds, exercise areas, multi—storey, basement car parks, lift lobbies, non air—con shopping centres, and a distance of five metres from the property’s entrance or exit by January 2009. However, base on my point of view, I felt that our government should consider ban on cigarettes.

The facts : An example if our total population is 4,000,000, estimated 30% are smokers, that would be 1,200,000 are smokers. While the taxes on cigarettes are relatively more than 100%, assuming smokers would buy a pack of cigarettes daily, so simply by multiply the figures, and that will generate a huge sum of revenue profits for our government daily.

According to a recent article reported, it's shown that below 20% of our population smokes. However, i recalled during the times when i was in NS, 95% of my company were smokers. Smokers were mostly guys in the past, but nowadays, I can see that there are increasing of female smokers. So it is definitely more than 20%.

I assume that almost all smokers are aware of smoking would cause bad health and harm others. Basically, not all smokers are inconsiderate or bad people, they are ordinary Singapore fellow citizens too and have contributed in any ways to our society. Hence, there shouldn't be discrimination or criticism.

As far as the government concerns, government wants revenue, but on the other hand, has apply new restriction on smoking. That's really doesn't sound tally, it's also inappropriate. If that's the case, why not just simply ban selling of cigarettes, just like the old days banned the chewing gum. So it will solve smoking problems once and for all, and that would be no more troublesome, no more complains, no more restrictions, no more littering problems regarding cigarettes butts, etc. Which also means that no more revenue for the government. lol. :) peace