In many sources, you can read about the ban on the use of chewing gum in the territory of one of the most economically developed countries in Asia. We checked whether such a ban really exists.

That's what Reported The special correspondent of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta in Singapore Vladimir Snegirev in 2012: “The struggle of Singaporetsev for cleanliness has long been a lady. Unimaginable fines for an abandoned cigarette butt, prohibition of using chewing gum, smoke in all public places without exception ... Someone has admiration for someone, someone has a grin. In fact, this is not a paranoia and not at all eccentricity, but only part of that state policy that is called to take care and love of local citizens forever in the minds and souls of local citizens.

The fact that in this small state the law prohibits the use of chewing gum was also written at different times "RIA Novosti"(repeatedly) And "Gazeta.ru". Magazine "Around the world" He clarified that the penalty for use is 1000 Singapore dollars (about $ 700), but for the import of elastic bands into the country - as many as 100,000 (about $ 7,000). IN social networks Since 2021, a version circulates that mentions a much lower penalty for the import of chewing gum - 5500 Singapore dollars.

But this is far from all. In another publication "RIA Novosti" claimedWhat a chewing gum that has fallen on asphalt in Singapore you can get a year of prison. And in some publications With reference to witnesses, it is stated that the punishment for this misconduct in Singapore is also bodily - several strokes of sticks.

Some popular sources have been conducting the history of the difficult relations of Singapore with chewing elastic bands since 1987. If you believe the already mentioned article in "Around the world", "As soon as the metro earned in Singapore, the hooligans took the fashion to glue the gum to the sensors of automatic doors, which is why those, as the authorities claimed, broke." Further, spoiled asphalt, shoes of residents and cars are mentioned: all this seemed to lead to the ban in the country of chewing gum in 1992.

If you look into Singapore Media, it turns out that they had fought here with a chewing elastic band before. In 1983, the Minister of Culture of the Country of Sudpia Danabalah He raised the question About a possible ban on the sale of chewing gum. The Council for Housing Construction and Development of Singapore at that time spent annually 150,000 Singapore dollars to scrape the used product from city streets and houses. By initiative The Minister on State Television was banned by advertising of chewing gum, and even earlier they stopped selling it in schools. But in a broad sense, the ban has not yet taken place-the then Prime Minister Singapore, the symbol of all reforms in the country and the initiator of many prohibitions Lee Kuan Yu I counted A similar legislative measure is "too tough." However, in November 1987, as already mentioned above, the first line of the Singapore metro opened, and the question with the gum was posed by the rib - problems with the closing of the doors of the train began to lead to malfunctions In their schedule. After that, whether Kuan Yu no longer interfered with more serious measures (he is known replica “If you can’t think without chewing, try a banana”), however, it took more than four years to solve the problem and a change in the head of the executive branch.

And finally, on January 3, 1992, she entered into force amendmentthat included chewing gum in the list of goods prohibited (without a special reservation) for production in the country. The penalty for violation was set in the amount of up to 50,000 Singapore dollars. In parallel, updated Law on the sale of food - Now it has become impossible to sell or advertise chewing gum, otherwise it would have to be parted with the amount of up to 2000 local dollars. In 2004, this situation is several Softened - in accordance with the free trade agreement signed with the United States of America. However, the list of permitted products was limited to medical products, such as chewing gum from smoking and for the care of the oral cavity. Similar Prohibition It acts on imports - in the case of the first violation, you will have to lay out up to 100,000 Singapore dollars or even sit down to two years in prison. However, this restriction applies only to those volumes of the imported product that may indicate a desire to sell it. Judging by the statements in authoritative media And numerous user comments, no one will stop you for moderate, even to the box or two, the number of chewing gum.

I must say, all these steps were effective. Already in February 1993, a year after the introduction of prohibitions, the average number of cases of chewing gum on the street It was Only two per day compared to 525 before the introduction of the ban. Thanks to a sharp reduction in garbage from chewing gum, the city councils reported a huge economy for cleaning.

As you can see, in Singapore there are quite rigid (albeit without bodily punishment) measures regarding the production, sale, advertising and import of chewing gum. However, no one forbids it to use and even bring it with you in a pocket or backpack.

The image on the cover: Pixabay.