Singapore’s ban on chewing gum was implemented in 1992 due to the cost of cleaning and repairing damage caused by improperly disposed of gum, including disruptions to the Mass Rapid Transit system. The ban was partially lifted in 2004 to allow for the sale of gum for dental health and nicotine gum, but strict regulations and penalties remain in place for violating chewing gum restrictions and waste laws.
Particularly clean and well-maintained public spaces in the country of Singapore are likely to make quite an impression on visitors. The same can be said for the elements of Singapore law that enforce and ensure the cleanliness of public spaces. One such law is the well-publicized ban on chewing gum, which was implemented in Singapore in 1992.
The chewing gum ban in Singapore was implemented by the new Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong in January 1992. Previously, the issue of chewing gum ban in Singapore had been under discussion among other top leaders of the country. In particular, Lee Kuan Yew, considered the founding father of the country, had expressed his concerns about the dirty effects chewing gum in Singapore seemed to have on streets, buildings, buses, the subway and other public spaces.
Chewing gum was left on sidewalks and other public areas, rather than being properly disposed of in the appropriate trash containers. This was costing the government large amounts of money to remove and clean, as well as causing damage to the cleaning equipment itself, which then cost more money to replace. Vandals reportedly left used chewing gum in keyholes, on elevator buttons and in mailboxes, causing a variety of difficulties in maintaining order and cleanliness in Singapore.
In addition to this cost, improper disposal of chewing gum in Singapore was threatening the function and efficiency of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). The MRT is a train system which, at the time, was the largest and most expensive public project being executed in Singapore. Vandals were leaving chewing gum in the doors of the MRT trains, preventing the doors from closing properly. This not only disrupted the MRT trains service but was extremely expensive to repair.
Thus, in January of 1992, the law of Singapore adopted a new ban on chewing gum. The chewing gum ban in Singapore banned the import, sale and production of chewing gum. A ban on the import and manufacture of rubber was enforced immediately, and a short grace period was given for merchants to sell their remaining stocks and for the public to chew whatever gum was left.
When the ban on chewing gum in Singapore was first implemented, opportunist smugglers began bringing in chewing gum from neighboring Malaysia and Johur Bahru. Smugglers and other offenders who defied the ban, once caught, were publicly shamed by the government. The illegal importation of chewing gum also applies to the introduction of some pieces into the country for personal use, a fact which demonstrates the gravity of the chewing gum ban in Singapore.
In terms of Singapore law, the ban on chewing gum in Singapore can be considered an extension of the waste law. Therefore, the act of chewing gum in Singapore is associated with penalties similar to those imposed for littering. The waste law requires a fine of $500 to $1,000 US Dollars (USD) for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $2,000 USD and assigned a Corrective Work Order (CWO).
When serving a CWO for violating waste laws, violators are required to clean public spaces, often wearing a brightly colored jacket. The media may also be invited to cover the event, increasing the severity of the sentence through further public shaming. The CWO as a penalty for chewing gum in Singapore was reportedly implemented in November of 1992.
In March 2004, as a result of the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA), Singapore’s laws banning chewing gum were revised. The ban was only partially lifted to allow the sale of chewing gum deemed beneficial to health. This includes products such as gum for dental health and nicotine gum to help people who want to quit smoking.
These chewing gums can only be sold in pharmacies and consumers must provide their name and ID. Pharmacists who sell the gum without collecting the required information can be fined up to $2,940 USD and jailed for two years. Penalties for violating chewing gum restrictions in Singapore, such as fines, corrective work orders, and jail time, are often considered severe by outsiders. Similar punishable activities include spitting in public toilets and not flushing public toilets.
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