Technical article
Everyday Rules in Singapore That Surprise Newcomers
They wonder what else is different from home, and how big the penalties are.
Picture a couple named Paul and Ruth. Both are 63, from England. They visit Singapore for a month to see whether they could live there. A friend warns them about chewing gum. They wonder what else is different from home, and how big the penalties are.
I looked at three rules, using government pages only. All amounts are in Singapore dollars (SGD).
Vaping
The Health Sciences Authority says the purchase, possession and use of emerging and imitation tobacco products have been prohibited since 1 February 2018. Vaporisers fall under this. The page was last updated on 20 August 2026.
| Offence | Penalty on the page |
|---|---|
| Individual, prohibited products | Fine of up to SGD 10,000 |
| Supplier | Mandatory imprisonment up to 6 years, fine up to SGD 200,000 |
| Importer | Mandatory imprisonment up to 9 years, fine up to SGD 300,000 |
| Etomidate vaporiser, individual | Fine up to SGD 20,000, or up to 10 years in prison, or both |
The etomidate penalties take effect from 1 May 2026. The page does not state a separate penalty for visitors.
Chewing gum
The Sale of Food (Prohibition of Chewing Gum) Regulations carry the heading "Sale or advertisement for sale of chewing gum prohibited". A person who breaks them faces "a fine not exceeding $2,000". A separate set of regulations on imports and exports of chewing gum also exists.
The text of the main rule did not come back in full when I read it. So I cannot say from the page whether gum for dental or medical use is treated differently. A pharmacist or the Health Sciences Authority could confirm.
Littering
The National Environment Agency, which looks after public cleanliness, says: "Litterbugs will be subjected to a composition amount of $300 for a first offence." That is a fixed payment that avoids court. In court, fines of up to SGD 2,000 for a first conviction, SGD 4,000 for a second and SGD 10,000 for a third or later are listed. A court may also order up to 12 hours of cleaning in public areas.
One point matters for renters. Since 1 July 2023, when litter falls from a residential flat into a public place, the registered owners are presumed to have committed the offence. If the whole flat is leased, the tenants are.
The two agency pages I read differ in wording. One says the court scale applies to "any individual who litters". The other lists it under high-rise littering. I show both and do not pick.
What is left open
- Drug laws, road rules such as crossing the street, and rules on bringing in medicines. The pages I tried would not load.
- Whether the penalties above are the full list. They are what the pages showed.
You could…
- Read the Health Sciences Authority page before packing anything you inhale.
- Ask the landlord what the lease says about litter from the flat.
- Ask a lawyer who works with British people abroad about anything that is not on these pages.
Which of these rules would change what you pack, or how you live day to day?
Figures are estimates for planning, based on public data. Date read: 10 October 2026.
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