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MOH Says They Might Reduce Nicotine in S’pore Cigarettes, Netizens Say ‘Conspiracy Only Lah’

2017-08-15 , 1:04 pm

Smokers, heads up.

With the United States planning to cut down the nicotine level in cigarettes, Singapore could be looking to follow suit.

Which means, yeah, your cigarettes might just get a whole lot more ‘bland’. I bet you’re like…

While health activists are all down for it.

This isn’t the first time too.

Four years ago, Singapore had already done something like it – they restricted the nicotine and tar yields in each cigarette to 1 mg and 10 mg respectively.

MOH Fully Committed To Lowering Number Of Smokers

In an exclusive interview with the Straits Times, MOH said that it was fully committed to “lowering smoking prevalence in Singapore”.

They study tobacco control approaches around the world regularly and will consider utilising appropriate methods in Singapore.

The US is attempting to push into unknown territories, by cutting down even further on Nicotine levels in cigarettes.

Since 2004, the European Union has tolerated a maximum of 1 mg and 10 mg for the nicotine and tar yields per cigarette respectively.

But does lowering nicotine levels, really get more smokers to quit?

Some scientists have suggested that by lowering the nicotine levels in cigarettes to below 10 percent, the cigarettes are rendered less addictive because the pleasurable effects per cigarette will be sharply reduced.

Dr See Kay Choong, head of National University Hospital’s division of respiratory and critical care medicine, thinks otherwise. He said that any amount of nicotine would be addictive – by simply lowering the level of it, it’s not going to get any less addictive.

And then there’s a third opinion from Dr Loke Wai Chiong, Deloitte’s South-east Asia healthcare sector leader, who said that it was actually possible that smokers would light up more cigarettes in order to get that previous ‘high’ sensation.

Studies Show There Are Positive Effects In Reducing Nicotine Levels in Cigarettes

There are, however, intensive studies that have shown the positive effects of reducing nicotine levels in cigarettes.

And there were entire articles published to highlight the pros of limited nicotine levels too.

What, then, do the citizens of this glorious lion city think?

In true Singaporean fashion, they go for the “Conspiracy Theory”.

But of course, there would be an angelic comment among the demons.

The angel is losing terribly so far though.

While there are scientific studies to support the logic of “lesser nicotine equates to fewer smokers”, I highly doubt that it would work out so perfectly.

It varies from person to person, mentality to mentality. Even if it worked in another country, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it would perform as well in Singapore.

As for the “Conspiracy Theory” that the government just wants to earn more taxes…

I will leave that to you guys to decide.

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