Prohibition of Smoking on NTU Campus 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 in the University. Those who violate the smoking prohibition rules will be dealt with according to this policy.  

1.2 MOE-HPB-HSA had issued a joint “Notification (2022/N3) Guidelines for Schools on handling students found purchasing, using or possessing a tobacco product, harmful tobacco product or imitation tobacco product”.

1.3 NTU complies with MOE-HPB-HAS’s directives on guidelines to Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) on smoking.

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:

a) Autonomous Universities’ compounds;

b) Private Education Institutions (PEIs); and

c) 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 to promote the health and safety of the University community.   

3.1 This policy applies to all NTU employees, 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.

4.1 The definitions of terms used in this document are as follows:

DSA:   Designated Smoking Areas 

NEA:   National Environment Agency

PEI
:     Private Education Institution

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 (subject to change) the following outdoor smoking areas (DSAs):

a) DSA at the grass area between Block 56 of Hall 11 and Graduate Hall 1;
b) DSA at Nanyang Executive Centre (NEC) next to Nanyang Meadows Block 96;
c) DSA at the grass area behind Block 7 of Hall 2;
d) DSA behind Student Activities Centre at North Spine;
e) DSA at the grass area beside School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering (SCBE) facing Nanyang Drive; and
f) DSA at the grass area near Block 40 of Hall 7.

5.2 NEA 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. It should also be noted that e-cigarettes are prohibited in Singapore under the Health Sciences Authority’s tobacco guidelines.

5.3 Campus Security is empowered to enforce the smoking prohibition on the NTU campus. The penalties for smoking offences for NTU employees and students are shown in Annex A.

5.4 Tenants, vendors, contractors, and all other visitors to NTU who commit an offence under the smoking prohibition shall be dealt with in accordance with the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) 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 Health Promotion Board's QuitLine at 1800 438 2000

Annex A

 1st Offence 2nd Offence Subsequent Offence(s)
Students Warning Letter
•   Including advisory for smoking cessation program, and consequences for repeated offence(s).
•   Copied to the Student Affairs Office (SAO), relevant School, and applicable Hall.
$200 fine
To be paid within 2 weeks, failing which,
•  Fine will be increased to $300.
•  Offender referred to NEA.
$300 fine
Mandatory smoking cessation program
Hall eviction (if applicable),
failing which the student shall be dealt with by the Committee of Inquiry (COI), and offender referred to NEA.
Staff Warning Letter
•   Including advisory for smoking cessation program, and consequences for repeated offence(s)
•   Copied to the Office of Human Resource (OHR), relevant College/School/
Department, Centres, Autonomous Institutes or Subsidiaries.
 
$200 fine
To be paid within 2 weeks, failing which the fine will be increased to $300, and offender referred to NEA.
$300 fine