SMOKELESS tobacco products and innocuous-looking but potentially addictive bite-sized nicotine candies will be banned in Singapore, under stricter anti-smoking laws that were introduced in Parliament yesterday. The health authorities also want to stop the sale of nicotine substitutes such as snus – a powdered form of tobacco – snuff and herbal cigarettes.

The objective is to put these products beyond the reach of experimenting youths so that they do not become addicted to nicotine. This is among the measures drawn up to discourage smoking and tobacco addiction among young people. Another key measure to tighten the screws against smoking: Banning misleading cigarette packet labels such as ‘light’, ‘ultra-light’ or ‘mild’. The World Health Organisation (WHO) maintains that these labels mislead smokers into thinking the products are safer. Research shows ‘light’ cigarettes are just as harmful and addictive as other kinds.

Read the full story in Tuesday’s edition of The Straits Times.