Cigarette prices up as bar ban kicks in
By Arti Mulchand & Melody Zaccheus
SMOKERS were dealt a double blow yesterday - cigarette prices were raised just as the smoking ban at nightspots took effect. Tobacco companies raised the prices of popular brands by an average of 40 cents. This brought the price of a 20-stick pack of Marlboro or Dunhill cigarettes, for example, to $11.60. Usually, such price increases accompany a rise in tobacco taxes. But for a second year in a row, the tax has remained unchanged at $352 per 1,000 cigarettes. In a letter to retailers, British American Tobacco attributed the increase to the 2 percentage point rise in GST and industry trends. The price increases came just as bars accepted last puffs along with last drinks at the close of the business day on Saturday. Across the island, many pubs and bars put away ashtrays and geared up for their first smoke-free day. Up until Friday, only 118 nightspots had applied for permission to allow smoking in designated areas. A total of 777 others are going completely smoke-free. The Ministry of Sound at Clarke Quay even got a headstart. As midnight approached, smokers were asked to use special smoking rooms, said spokesman Bernard Lim. This, despite the National Environment Agency having given nightspots until the start of business yesterday to comply. Elsewhere, the cleanup started yesterday afternoon. At St James Power Station, more than 200 ashtrays from the complex’s nine outlets were collected and put into designated smoking rooms. But besides a few grouses, most smokers seemed to accept the need to take their habit outside. About 60 NEA officers combing the island to issue friendly reminders found a high degree of compliance in more than 110 outlets checked, the NEA said last night. No smokers were fined in the operation. Sales coordinator and smoker Peter Martin, 27, said: ‘It is the best thing to happen in Singapore… Why should non-smokers be made to suffer?’ Other bar patrons maintained that the inconvenience to Singaporeans was slight. ‘In places like Oslo, people have to stand outside at minus 6 deg C puffing away,’ said a 62-year-old who wanted to be known only as Mr Logan. While bar owners are bracing themselves for a dip in business, most expect it will be temporary. Meanwhile bar staff will probably benefit the most. Ms Yeo Hui Ying, 22, a waitress at Number 5 Emerald Hill, said: ‘When you have big groups, especially if they are smoking cigars, it really stinks and it stings my eyes. ‘Now, we can really breathe.’ Source : The Straits Times, 02 July 2007
Research house upbeat on property stocks »« Should Temasek’s thoughts turn closer to home?
