Singapore's gum law?

Question

i think it's a bit weird not to be able to chew gum...it's just a little thing.what do you think about this matter??

To Mel,
You shouldn't be bringing gum into singapore, you'll be fined...just a warning!

Answer 1

Actually, a lot of people got this wrong. You can chew gum in Singapore. You just arent allowed to import them in for sales, the only exception being medicated gum eg. nicotine gum, which is, under the free trade agreement with USA, allowed in for sales by pharmacists (id and/or doctor's prescription is required for it).

Let me quote this from the link below...

http://dl.nlb.gov.sg/ask/2006/07/i_think_its_illegal_to_buy_che.html

"According to the Straits Times article "Having chewing gum for consumption not an offence" (1 January 1992), the agency in charge of enforcing the chewing gum ban internally in Singapore is the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources. Consuming chewing gum or possessing chewing gum for consumption is not an offence, unless you do it at MRT stations, where the consumption of food is prohibited. Also, there are penalties for littering if one disposes of gum indiscriminately, these penalties are likely to be stiffer according to this statement by MEWR."

Answer 2

Why is it wierd not to be able to chew gum? It's a foreign habit, does next to nothing for the person and it causes more inconveniences to everyone else than its user. How? Doors of commuter trains won't close if jammed with gums causing delays to all commuters. Why should the majority suffer because of the irresponsible few? Better to ban it.

In Beijing teams of the PLA had to scoop used gums discarded by foreigners and tourists off Tiananmien Square - waste of manpower and time because of people who are not civic-conscious. It is a pity that the rest of the world's peoples don't have the high civic disciplines of Koreans, Japanese, the Swiss.

Answer 3

Let me take a stab at this question. I think the fellow who introduced this law in Singapore just got tired of finding gum at the bottom of his shoe one day. He was often seen jumping up and down on one foot cleaning out the other shoe with his free hand all the while with a cigarette in his mouth. Went home, told his wife this was the last time he's going to clean the bottom of his shoes of those blasted rubber things people put in their mouths.
Cigarettes on the hand don't stick to the bottom of your shoes you see- except when it rains- though it sticks to your lungs regardless of the weather.

Besides, if you prevent people from spending money on gum, that leaves more disposal income for them to spend on cigarettes. The fellow who introduced the gum law owns quite a few shares in those cigarette companies you see. In the end, it actually helps the economy not to sell gum. ( Surveys of dentists are inconclusive. Some lament that - no sugar equals great teeth- others rejoice that the use of cigarettes turn teeth yellow and dingy- which means more business for them.)

Here, in the States, I make it a rule not to run my hands under any table in front of me. That's just a habit I don't have- avoiding the dreaded vintage gum left by some prankster.

Answer 4

It was so attention grabbing, it appeared on "Ripley's Believe It Or Not!".
Not really weird in a sense more of an indication of how anal the people in the Lion City take their hygiene!
Although now with the chewing gum banned and all, I notice that Singaporeans are developing a different kind of vice ----> smoking.
And I notice that they don't make way for passengers to alight from the LRT anymore... rather they just charge in like a rugby player tackling the ball or something, lol. Kiasu? Definitely.

Answer 5

I think its great. Ive been to a few places around the asia area and i was plesantly suprisied to find singapore such a clean city.
I found that chewing gum was unavailable to buy, but i still had some that i brought with me. I made sure i disposed of it properly though! And anyway, chewing gum isnt that important in life!

Answer 6

Yeah , it is weird! but it does make singapore one of the cleanest cities in the world. chewing gum is not sold in singapore too.

Its funny how my cousins buy and stock a lot of gum when they come up to malaysia to bring back. haha.

Answer 7

i dont really mind. in other countries all u have 2 do is look under a table and u will see loads of gum stuck there. im kinda glad singapore isnt like this.

Answer 8

it's a way of keeping the place clean. it might be a little overzealous, but it's better than having gum all over the footpaths and under benches

Answer 9

'gum law' grossly misunderstood by many - we prohibit the SALE of chewing gum. consumption of gum is allowed.

Answer 10

i dont like the gum law.