Singapore tobacco duties should be increased by further 50%.
Last time they said cannot increase because then smuggling will increase cos more profit margin and ICA not enough manpower to catch smugglers, jails too full of contraband cigarette smokers etc.
Now Malaysia has movement control order and causeway in effective shutdown with less 300,000 people crossing the border , so ICA and customs is now very very free (no more 300,000 travellers to do baggage checks on), just a few goods vehicles to do thorough checks and probably zero cars to check as well.
So they can check check check for contraband cigarettes.
Also, cigarettes smoking causes people to get heart attack, cancer and diabetes, which occupies ICU beds, which is one reason to prolong the shutdown/ DORSCON orange or whatever just to 'flatten the curve' so that ICU beds continue to be available to those who need care.
Smoking should be forbidden because it is antisocial because it squanders medishield-life insurance fund pool on unnecessary medical treatment and unnecessarily occupies hospital ICU beds.
Many people also experience less work.stress because in truth, there is now less work to do given the lock down and gahmen is paying everyone 25-75% of their salary to compensate for the free time at work.on their hands.
Perhaps all these free time should be spent in smoking cessation clinics, which will be well subvented from the increase in tobacco duties by a further 50%.
Once they have been off tobacco for the duration of COVID-19, they will probably drop the bad and unhealthy habit.
And no point they hunt for contraband cigarettes because there are none to be found anyway (all contraband access is cut off by COVID-19 lockdown policies and customs officer efforts).
Gahmen should take my suggestion seriously, so that we emerge stronger, with fewer addictions after COVID-19 has blown over. Then, we will be fitter, have less diabetes etc and be ready for all economic challenges when COVID-19 is over.
Gahmen must hit when iron is hot, otherwise this is a golden opportunity wasted to the detriment of Singapore in the long run.
The earlier people stop smoking, the earlier we can end the COVID-19 lockdowns (since we will then have sufficient hospital ICU to treat COVID-19 patients in case they are infected and fall terribly ill).
References:
Singapore 'has 2nd-highest proportion of diabetics' (in no small way due to tobacco addiction I must add):
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/singapore-has-2nd-highest-proportion-of-diabetics
Last time they said cannot increase because then smuggling will increase cos more profit margin and ICA not enough manpower to catch smugglers, jails too full of contraband cigarette smokers etc.
Now Malaysia has movement control order and causeway in effective shutdown with less 300,000 people crossing the border , so ICA and customs is now very very free (no more 300,000 travellers to do baggage checks on), just a few goods vehicles to do thorough checks and probably zero cars to check as well.
So they can check check check for contraband cigarettes.
Also, cigarettes smoking causes people to get heart attack, cancer and diabetes, which occupies ICU beds, which is one reason to prolong the shutdown/ DORSCON orange or whatever just to 'flatten the curve' so that ICU beds continue to be available to those who need care.
Smoking should be forbidden because it is antisocial because it squanders medishield-life insurance fund pool on unnecessary medical treatment and unnecessarily occupies hospital ICU beds.
Many people also experience less work.stress because in truth, there is now less work to do given the lock down and gahmen is paying everyone 25-75% of their salary to compensate for the free time at work.on their hands.
Perhaps all these free time should be spent in smoking cessation clinics, which will be well subvented from the increase in tobacco duties by a further 50%.
Once they have been off tobacco for the duration of COVID-19, they will probably drop the bad and unhealthy habit.
And no point they hunt for contraband cigarettes because there are none to be found anyway (all contraband access is cut off by COVID-19 lockdown policies and customs officer efforts).
Gahmen should take my suggestion seriously, so that we emerge stronger, with fewer addictions after COVID-19 has blown over. Then, we will be fitter, have less diabetes etc and be ready for all economic challenges when COVID-19 is over.
Gahmen must hit when iron is hot, otherwise this is a golden opportunity wasted to the detriment of Singapore in the long run.
The earlier people stop smoking, the earlier we can end the COVID-19 lockdowns (since we will then have sufficient hospital ICU to treat COVID-19 patients in case they are infected and fall terribly ill).
References:
Singapore 'has 2nd-highest proportion of diabetics' (in no small way due to tobacco addiction I must add):
