Adjournment motion to make smoking at windows and balconies at home illegal

Make it illegal to smoke at windows and balconies at home. MP Louis Ng renewed this call to tackle the issue of secondhand smoke from neighbours in his adjournment motion in Parliament on Monday (Sep 13). He cited the powers under the Environmental Public Health Act that should be used to "remove nuisances of a public nature". He asked why the Government is not using this law to take a clear stance that smoking near windows and at balconies is illegal. Responding to Mr Ng, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor said that the named sections in the Act cannot be used to prohibit smoking at windows and balconies. She said the Act addresses nuisances affecting the public at large, and not private nuisances affecting a person’s use or enjoyment of his property.