Prohibition of Smoking and Vaping Policy

1.1  In accordance with the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act, smoking is prohibited campus wide, including all university buildings and compounds to protect members of the public from the harmful health effects of second-hand tobacco smoke. Smoking is only allowed at certain outdoor Designated Smoking Areas (DSA) in the University. Those who violate the smoking prohibition rules will be dealt with according to this policy. 

1.2  The same restrictions extend to all students engaged in official NTU activities outside campus, for example, internship, attachment, exchange programme, field research, events, co-curricular activities, etc.

1.3  It shall also be noted that possession, purchase or use of e-cigarettes or vaporisers are prohibited in Singapore under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act.

2.1  Smoking prohibition in Singapore, first introduced in 1970, is part of the national effort to promote a smoke-free lifestyle in Singapore. The Government’s long-term policy goal is to prohibit smoking in all public areas, except at Designated Smoking Areas, to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke. The Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act, administered by the National Environment Agency (NEA), was extended to include the following areas from 1 October 2017:

1. Autonomous Universities’ compounds.
2. Private Education Institutions (PEIs); and
3. Within five metres of educational institutions, including kindergartens, childcare centres, special education schools, madrasahs, primary schools, secondary schools, junior colleges/ centralised institute, polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education campuses, PEIs and autonomous universities.

2.2  The aim of this policy is to ensure compliance with the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act and the Tobacco (Control of Advertisement and Sale) Act to promote the health and safety of the University community.

2.3 From 1 February 2018, the purchase, possession, and use of emerging and imitation tobacco products, which include e-vaporisers, have been prohibited. This is in addition to earlier prohibitions on the importation, sale, and distribution of these products.

2.4 From 1 September 2025, etomidate and its analogues will be classified as Class C controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 (MDA) for six months, pending introduction of more fit-for-purpose legislation.

3.1  This policy applies to all NTU staff, students, tenants, vendors, contractors, and all visitors. NTU autonomous institutes shall align themselves to this policy but shall remain accountable to their own governing boards.

COI       : Committee of Inquiry
DSA      : Designated Smoking Areas
HPB      : Health Promotion Board
HSA      : Health Sciences Authority
IHL       : Institute of Higher Learning
MOE    : Ministry of Education
MOH    : Ministry of Health
NEA      : National Environment Agency
NTU     : Nanyang Technological University
OHR     : Office of Human Resources
PEI       : Private Education Institution
SAO      : Student Affairs Office
S/D/C   : College/School/Department, Centres, Autonomous Institutes or Subsidiaries (S/D/C)

5.1  NTU is a smoke-free campus. Smoking is prohibited campus-wide, including all residence halls and other campus buildings. However, the University has designated the following outdoor DSAs (subject to changes);

1. DSA at the grass area between Block 56 of Hall 11 and Graduate Hall 1;
2. DSA at Nanyang Executive Centre (NEC) next to Nanyang Meadows Block 96;
3. DSA at the grass area behind Block 7 of Hall 2;
4. DSA behind Student Activities Centre at North Spine;
5. DSA at the grass area beside School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB) facing Nanyang Drive.
6. DSA at the grass area near Blk 40, 30 Nanyang Link.

 
5.2  NEA and MOH takes a strict stance against smokers who flout the law and NTU supports and adopts a similar stand against smoking on campus outside of the DSAs, including the possession, distribution or use of e-cigarettes or vaporisers.

5.3  Campus Security is empowered to enforce the smoking/vaping prohibition within the NTU campus. For offences committed outside of the NTU campus, penalties can be imposed to the offender upon receiving offence notices from the authorities. The penalties for smoking/vaping offences for NTU employees and students are shown in Table 1 and Table 2 in section 6.

5.4  Tenants, vendors, contractors, and all other visitors to NTU who commit an offence under the smoking/vaping prohibition shall be dealt with in accordance with the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act and the Tobacco (Control of Advertisement and Sale) Act.

5.5  Smokers are strongly encouraged to be considerate to those around them and to dispose of cigarette butts in the cigarette disposal bins provided at the DSAs.

5.6  Smokers who wish to receive personalised help to quit smoking can call the HPB's QuitLine at 1800 438 2000. 

5.7 To keep our Campus 100% Vape-Free:

5.7.1 Campus Security officers may conduct random bag checks for e-vaporisers.

5.7.2 Campus Security officers will control patrols at vaping/smoking hotspots and designated smoking areas to ensure rules are followed.

6.1  It shall be noted that the following sanctions will be enforced by Campus Security Division and are independent to the local enforcement action by the relevant agencies, such as NEA and HSA.

6.2  Sanctions for Smoking Offences issued by NTU

Table 1: Sanctions for Smoking Offences

6.3  Sanctions for Vaping Offences

New Disciplinary Measures on Vaping (Updated 6 Oct 2025)