On Smoking and HDB flats

I recently read a news article about MPs proposing to parliament an amendment to the Smoking Act. While the number of no-smoking zones have increased and police officers now have more enforcement, there was a contention over whether smoking should be banned in one's own HDB flat.

In other countries where people live in houses, allowing people to smoke in their own houses is a no brainer. However, given the close proximity from one flat unit to another, second hand smoke from a smoker can waft into another's house, causing discomfort and potentially health risks. 

For the uninitiated, you can read the news article here: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mps-dangers-of-secondhand-smoke-smoking-in-homes-10701812.

Those who know me know that I am against smoking. As someone who already is overweight, I don't need smoking to further impede my health at such a young age. Even now in army, where I am exposed to more smoker friends, I am unwilling and have no intention to pick up smoking. I honestly do not see the point in smoking considering the potential health implications and financial costs (a tobacco tax was imposed in Budget 2018 this year).

However, for my friends who choose to smoke, I acknowledge (but do not respect nor accept) their decision. Hence I do not make any comments when they smoke. 

Yet, to this point, I personally feel that it is unwarranted for the authorities to step in to ban smoking in HDB flats. My justifications are as follows:

A flat unit is one's own property. The government's stand on housing has been very clear, in that they want people to own, and not rent a property. One pays a huge financial sum buy a flat, and hence they own the land they bought. Selfish as this may seem, they are entitled to do anything they want in their own flats as long as it is legal.

The government should also refrain from dictating what one can or cannot do in their own flat. There is a line between enforcing what is legally right and being overbearing on residents. The flat was bought using the owner's money, and so were the cigarettes, so why can't s/he smoke in his/her own flat?

A netizen mentioned that if we ban smoking in flats, soon anything that disturbs or causes inconvenience our neighbours will be banned. For example, potted plants and bicycles along corridors, sun-drying our clothes, or even void deck weddings and funerals. While this is quite a slippery slope argument, the point still remains, do we really want the authorities to dictate everything we can or cannot do?

However, this is also not to say we should ignore the health risks posed by second hand smoke or remaining in a smoky environment long term. Therefore, I propose the following for anyone's consideration:

There will be a smoking ban inside flat units from 7pm till 7am the next day. However, there will be at least 1 smoking area per flat (the whole block) where residents are able to smoke there anytime they wish. This smoking area will have an air purifier to ensure minimal second hand smoke reaches the units of other residents.

This is the best solution I can think of, if any concrete change is to be made. However, we can see the issues with the solution immediately.
  • There is still a smoking ban in place
  • An air purifier has to be implemented and maintained in every block. Who is going to pay for this? The residents. Our S&CC charges are likely to rise if this is implemented.
So what can we do instead? 

For us non-smokers, let us be tolerant and acknowledge the smoker's habits, no matter how irritating the smoke may be. We do not need to accept smoking, but let's at least try to tolerate it. If needed, we can discuss with the smoking neighbour how to better the situation. I'm sure most smokers are reasonable. But if they're not, community mediation is also a solution.

For smokers, please be considerate to others. When you notice there are many people at home, don't smoke near the window or the corridor. Smoke in your living room or toilet. Or if your neighbour isn't feeling well, go out of the building to take your puff. If you are willing to pay over $10 for your pack of cigarettes, surely you won't mind taking a few extra steps to help your neighbour.

Can't we all just learn to get along? 

Come on, Singapore, we can do better.

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