Apart from that, there is also a hefty fine for leaving chewing gum in public places across the country. In the first case, a fine of up to Rs 74,000 can be imposed, but in the second case, if he is caught eating or illegally throwing in public space, a fine of more than Rs 1 lakh and a prison sentence of 2 years can also be imposed by the authorities. Chicago-based Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company enlisted the help of a Washington, D.C. lobbyist and Illinois Congressman Phil Crane, then chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Ways and Means on Commerce, to put chewing gum on the agenda of the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. [11] This created a dilemma for the Singapore government. He recognized the health benefits of certain gums, such as a sugar-free brand of gum that contains calcium lactate to strengthen tooth enamel. The sale of this newly categorized medical chewing gum was allowed as long as it was sold by a dentist or pharmacist who had to register the names of the buyers.
[ref. needed] You would still face a hefty fine if you spit out the gum and leave it in the trash. In Singapore, feeding pigeons costs $500, walking naked at home is illegal, and selling chewing gum could land you in jail for two years. Singapore`s ban on the sale of chewing gum is probably the most well-known international law in the world. When it first came to light in the early 1990s, it was one of the most important things Western journalists focused on when writing about the city-state. What is often forgotten is that this law is less strict than it was before. Since the signing of the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement in 2004, chewing gum with health benefits (such as dental gum or nicotine gum and other sugar-free options) have been available in pharmacies. To be honest, no one will stop you from having a few bags in your bag when you return from abroad.
It was reported that vandals had begun sticking gum on the door sensors of MRT trains to prevent the doors from functioning properly and disrupt train traffic. Such incidents were rare but costly, and the culprits were elusive. In January 1992, Goh Chok Tong, who had just taken office as prime minister, decided to ban it. The restriction on the distribution of chewing gum was enacted in Chapter 57 of Singapore`s Manufacturing Control Act, which also regulates the restriction of certain alcohol products and tobacco. [4] Initially, Lee Kuan Yew had opposed a complete ban, as he agreed with opponents that it was too drastic a measure that would be easier to remedy by clarification and imposing fines on repeat offenders. This changed in 1987 with the introduction of the rapid transit system. The cost of the system was $5 billion, and politicians were eager to see how it would modernize and even revolutionize the city-state. When people started sticking gum on train door sensors, causing doors to malfunction and long train traffic interruptions, chewing gum had officially exhausted its welcome on the island. When it was introduced, the ban provoked much controversy and open resistance.
Some people have taken the trouble to go to Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to buy chewing gum. The perpetrators were publicly “named and humiliated” by the government to deter other potential smugglers. A black market for chewing gum has never emerged in Singapore, although some Singaporeans still occasionally manage to smuggle Johor Bahru`s chewing gum for their own use. After the ban, city councillors reported a significant decrease in gum waste in public spaces, and chewing gum no longer blocked elevator doors or interfered with MRI systems. [6] In the mid-1990s, Singapore`s laws began to receive international media coverage. The US media has paid a lot of attention to the case of Michael P. Fay, an American teenager sentenced to caning in Singapore in 1994 for vandalism (use of spray paint, not chewing gum). They also drew attention to some of Singapore`s other laws, including the “mandatory flushing of public toilets” rule. [7] The convoluted coverage of these issues has led to the myth that the use or importation of chewing gum itself is punishable. In fact, the only penalties under Chapter 57 are fines and imprisonment. [8] 2.
Republic of Singapore, Official Gazette. Subsidiary legislation, 2 January 1992, p. 2; Having chewing gum for consumption is not a criminal offence. (1 January 1992). The Straits Times, p. 1. Excerpted from NewspaperSG. 3. Nathan, D. (December 31, 1991). Chewing gum must be banned.
The Straits Times, p. 1; Lim, T. (February 8, 1992). Chewing gum supports the MRI train again. The New Paper, p. 9. Excerpt from SG.4. The Straits Times, 31 December 1991, p. 1.5. Jacob, P.
(21 November 1983). Chewing gum may be prohibited. The Straits Times, p. 9. Excerpt from SG.6. The Straits Times, November 21, 1983, p. 9.7. The Straits Times, November 21, 1983, p. 9; The Straits Times says. Not just a thorny problem. (November 23, 1983). The Straits Times, p.
20. From NewspaperSG.8. Housing Prohibition of chewing gum for the benefit of the environment. (January 11, 1992). The Straits Times, p. 25; Pereira, B. (January 1, 1992). SMRT, city councils and cinemas welcome the ban. The Straits Times, p.
12. From NewspaperSG.9. The Straits Times, January 1, 1992, p. 12; Ban chewing gum: How to make it tastier. (January 17, 1992). The Straits Times, p. 26. Excerpt from NewspaperSG; Difficult problems remain. (January 5, 1992). The Straits Times, p. 20.
From JournalSG.10. Hong, L. T. (January 1, 1992). Chewing gum merchants were left with large stocks. The Business Times, p. 18; Loh, S. (January 3, 1992). Chewing gum prices have fallen to liquidated stocks. The Straits Times, p. 3. From SG.11.
Goh, D. (1992, January 10). Public education has not eliminated the nuisance caused by chewing gum. (The Straits Times, p. 38. From NewspaperSG.12. Nathan, D. (March 18, 1993). Few cases of chewing gum litter now, thanks to the ban.
The Straits Times, p. 18. From NewspaperSG.13. US S`pore FTA no longer sticks to chewing gum. (July 10, 2003). The Straits Times, p. 3; Partial lifting of the 12-year ban on chewing gum. (March 17, 2004).
Today. p. 10 From SG;14. Tan, H. L. (2004, March 19). Chewing gum is back and it`s good for your health. Today, p. 10. From NewspaperSG. The ban on chewing gum is just one of many laws aimed at improving the island`s cleanliness, including laws against trash, graffiti and spitting. Nearly a decade after the ban went into effect, a BBC reporter suggested that such strict laws would have a negative impact on business creativity, to which Lee Kuan Yew replied: “If you can`t think because you can`t chew, try a banana.” “Sticking gum on our subway doors so they don`t open is not what I call creativity.