Effectiveness of Anti-smoking Programmes

Dr Janil Puthucheary asked the Minister for Health (a) over the last year, what is the number of (i) underage youths caught for buying cigarettes; and (ii) people who have joined quit-smoking initiatives, such as the "I Quit 28-Day Countdown" challenge; and (b) what is the effectiveness of these initiatives.

The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act prohibits the supply, purchase, possession and use of tobacco products among persons aged below 18 years. The number of underage youths caught buying tobacco has decreased from an annual average of 57 in 2010 and 2011 to an annual average of 25 in 2012 and 2013. The number of underage smoking offences has also decreased from an annual average of 6,500 in 2010 and 2011, to an annual average of 5,500 in 2012 and 2013. These decreases were observed notwithstanding the increased enforcement efforts by the Health Sciences

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Authority.

Legislation against underage smoking is one aspect of our multi-pronged, whole-of-society approach to tobacco control that comprises legislation, taxation, health promotion and education, and smoking cessation. Our aim is to de-normalise tobacco use in Singapore.

Education and awareness, with appropriate interventions, are critical in preventing smoking initiation among underage youths. Hence, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) has worked closely with MOE to incorporate anti-tobacco messages into the school curricula and co-curricular activities.

Helping smokers quit smoking is another important strategy to reduce tobacco consumption. The I Quit Programme reached out to more than 13,200 smokers in 2012 and intervenes broadly at the population level through telephonic services, such as QuitLine, which have been shown to achieve a quit rate of 30%. In 2012, over 200 youth smokers enrolled in HPB's school-based smoking cessation programmes, which achieved an average quit rate of about 40%. In addition, more than 80 companies have participated in smoking cessation activities since 2011, and among employees who received on-site quit counselling and Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), 30% achieved long-term cessation.

The "Let's Quit The 28-Day Countdown" challenge aimed to inspire smokers to make a personal pledge to quit smoking. Over 3,400 smokers enrolled in the challenge which took place between May and July 2013. Preliminary data showed one in 10 participants have persisted in staying smoke-free for 28 days.

Quitting smoking is not an easy task. The effectiveness of our smoking cessation programmes ranged between 10% and 40%, which is in line with what is observed internationally1. Hence, it is important to prevent our youth from experimenting and establishing a regular smoking habit in the first place. Smokers who have the support of their family, friends, and employers are more likely to quit smoking successfully.

My Ministry will continue to review and strengthen our smoking prevention and control efforts.

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