Singapore: Cigarettes, Shisha Are Similar, But Require Different Approaches

Source from:  TODAYonline (sg) 11/25/2014

In the spirit of responsible public discourse, I would like to clarify my earlier position in the letter "Banning shisha, but not cigarettes, a justified move".

Although it is debatable whether a complete ban on shisha is justified, a similar ban on cigarettes in response to the shisha prohibition, based solely on their similarities as harmful smoking substances, would not be feasible.

There are indeed harmful effects associated with both shisha and cigarettes. Therefore, it is true that, if the shisha ban was motivated purely by the product's harmful effects, it would be a contradiction to not similarly ban cigarettes.

However, governmental policies are not based solely on the harmful effects of a product; a comprehensive examination of the various practical considerations must also be taken into account.

While similarities between shisha and cigarettes may facilitate a direct comparison, there is in fact a marked distinction between the two activities.

About 15 per cent of Singaporeans, or 800,000 people, smoke cigarettes. For many smokers, having a cigarette is a crucial part of their daily routine. Heavy users smoke up to 20 or more cigarettes a day.

In contrast, less than 3 per cent of the population smoke shisha, which was only recently introduced to Singapore when the first retailer opened in 2001.

Furthermore, as shisha is predominantly a social activity, users smoke it only on an occasional rather than daily basis. These differences between cigarettes and shisha demonstrate how the former is deeply entrenched in Singaporean society, while the latter is arguably not so - a point that has been recognised as well ("Need to ban shisha before habit becomes entrenched"; Nov 14).

These differences therefore justify different approaches towards the two products. A ban on cigarettes simply because it is "similar" to shisha is not feasible.

Indeed, because cigarette smoking is so deeply entrenched in our society, a complete ban would not only be difficult to implement and enforce, but could also give rise to a black market.

That, and other problems, was what resulted after a nationwide ban was imposed on alcoholic beverages - a product that is arguably as entrenched as cigarettes in our society - during America's Prohibition era.

On the contrary, given that shisha is not as deeply entrenched in our society, the same issues are much less likely to arise.

Therefore, instead of a complete ban on cigarettes, more practical and feasible measures, such as smoking restrictions in certain public places, education and awareness campaigns, have been utilised.

It is debatable whether the complete ban on shisha is justified. However, the adoption of different approaches towards shisha and cigarettes is arguably justified.

Arguing for a ban on cigarettes in response to the prohibition of shisha is akin to advocating the use of a blunt tool to solve all problems. Enditem