Singapore will raise the legal age for smoking from 18 now to 19 on Jan 1, 2019. It will be further raised every January until 2021, when people have to be 21 years old to light up.

Changes to the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act passed yesterday also bar people from buying, using and owning imitation tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes, e-cigars and e-pipes. This is an extension of the current ban on the sale, import and distribution of these battery-powered devices that heat nicotine-infused liquids to produce a vapour for inhalation.

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Amrin Amin said more has to be done to reduce the proportion of smokers in Singapore.

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