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SINGAPORE: Member of Parliament (MP) Louis Ng called for a ban on residents smoking near the windows or on the balconies of HDB’s private flats and apartments, as he filed a motion for postponement on Monday (October 5) about protection against ssecondhand smoke in the home.
Ng and the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Sustainability and the Environment, calling secondhand smoke a “public health problem” that Singapore cannot continue to leave unsolved, suggested using cameras to identify who smoke in their windows and balconies.
However, the Chief Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, Amy Khor, pointed out that such legislation could infringe on the privacy of residents.
There are also a number of “significant practical challenges” that reduce the effectiveness of a potential application, he added.
“We are equally interested in solving this problem and have carefully studied these suggestions. Unfortunately, in addition to the fact that such legislation could be very intrusive, there are significant practical challenges in enforcement that limit efficacy,” said Dr. Khor in your reply to Mr. Ng.
In his motion to adjourn, Congressman from Nee Soon GRP noted that people who inhale secondhand smoke are exposed to more chemicals than smokers themselves.
“Secondhand smoke, the main component of secondhand smoke, is four times more toxic than the smoke that a smoker inhales from a cigarette. I am especially concerned about how secondhand smoke especially affects the vulnerable people among us,” he added.
Citing statistics, Ng also noted that in 2016 alone, 383 people in Singapore died from the effects of secondhand smoke.
“Over the years, many residents have contacted me about their neighbors who smoke on balconies and windows,” he added. “Secondhand smoke enters their homes and they feel powerless over the health risks their families face.”
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Ng also noted that there has been an increase in the number of complaints related to smoking that the National Environment Agency (NEA) had received in the first four months of this year, 11,400, representing an increase of 20 percent. compared to last year.
A ‘NEIGHBOR’S PROBLEM’?
Noting that many residents have found mediation efforts futile, Ng said a “different solution” was needed.
“The NEA has previously said that secondhand smoke is a ‘neighborhood’ problem. True, neighbors should try to solve problems by talking to each other. And they try. When it doesn’t work, they seek mediation and support from HDB, NEA, TC, RC, CMC, CDRT and MP: a whole alphabet soup of authorities. However, many residents have found these channels ineffective, “he said.
“Even when parliamentarians want to help, they cannot seek help from law enforcement because there is no relevant law or regulation to enforce. A different solution is needed … It cannot be solved in the same way that we solve all these others. neighborhood problems. “
The proposed ban is “very similar” to what NEA officials already do, Mr. Ng said, adding that it would “empower” them to enforce the warnings they issue.
“What’s more, our proposal is very similar to what our NEA officers already do. They issue warnings to residents, telling them, ‘Do not smoke near windows or on balconies, as a way to minimize the amount of cigarette smoke. issued by its facilities, ”explained Mr. Ng.
This proposal can be enforced using existing technologies that are already used on the ground, he added.
“NEA has been using cameras to catch bed bugs from high altitude. These surveillance cameras are focused only on the outer facade of the housing units that are being investigated to capture the act of littering. They can even catch someone throwing cigarette butts. through the windows. ” he said.
Mr. Ng also gave the example of the use of thermal surveillance cameras that are used to capture residents smoking in prohibited areas such as common hallways.
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“We have years of experience fine-tuning its use and to minimize privacy intrusion and maximize successful enforcement. What is missing now is only legislation,” he said.
THE APPLICATION WOULD BE A CHALLENGE
However, Dr. Khor said that law enforcement would be challenging as capturing evidence of the crime of smoking is not “straightforward.”
“Smelling tobacco smoke is not enough, as cameras must capture smokers smoking or holding a lit cigarette as evidence of law enforcement. However, a smoker can easily hide behind a pillar, frosted glass, windows or curtains to avoid being detected by the cameras. ” Dr. Khor said.
“In general, this can involve the deployment of significant resources without achieving effective results.”
Additionally, the camera must also be positioned at “suitable vantage points” to capture the act of someone smoking at the window or balcony, Dr. Khor said.
“In the case of raised floors, it is not always possible to find the correct vantage point in common areas to deploy the camera,” he said. “Aiming cameras directly at houses is very intrusive, unlike surveillance for high-rise garbage, where the camera is oriented at the building’s facade and can be positioned at ground level at a distance.”
These solutions will also “exacerbate” existing privacy concerns and infringe on owners’ rights to their own private space, added Dr. Khor.
“We must work hard to address the difficult problem of secondhand smoke in homes, but legislation against smoking on windows or balconies may not be the magic bullet,” he told the House.
Instead, the NEA will follow a “three-point approach,” explained Dr. Khor.
This includes working harder to “create more social responsibility” among Singaporeans, examining more ways to facilitate “productive” conversations between neighbors, as well as working with agencies to study how disputes can best be addressed through the community dispute management framework. interinstitutional.
“Ultimately, mitigating the impact of secondhand smoke requires everyone to do their part,” said Dr. Khor.
“Smokers must have consideration for the health of their family and neighbors and, as a community, we must help each other build the proper social norms for a healthy and friendly society.”
