Chewing tobacco and snuff

Chewing tobacco and snuff are banned in Singapore. Since 1 August 2016, it has been illegal to import, distribute or sell products such as gutkha, khaini and zarda, as well as nasal and oral snuff, including Swedish-style snus.

Key facts

• Status: banned to import, distribute, sell or offer for sale
• In force: 1 August 2016 (second phase of the emerging tobacco products ban)
• Products covered: gutkha, khaini, zarda, chewing tobacco (loose leaf, plug, twist), nasal snuff and oral snuff
• Penalty when announced: up to S$10,000 fine and/or six months in jail

How did the ban come in?

Singapore banned “emerging” tobacco products in two phases. In December 2015 it banned products not yet sold in the country, such as smokeless cigarettes and dissolvable tobacco. On 1 August 2016, the ban was extended to products already on the market, including snuff, gutkha, khaini and zarda. The Ministry of Health said the aim was to stop new forms of tobacco use from taking hold.

Are people really jailed for chewing tobacco?

Yes. The first person was prosecuted under the amended law in 2017 after driving chewing tobacco in from Malaysia, and was jailed. HSA has since jailed several more importers: in one 2018 case, a man was convicted for bringing in 4,560 sachets of khaini tobacco. Seized products are confiscated.

Can I bring snus or gutkha for personal use?

No. Because the law bans importing these products, carrying them through the border counts, even in small amounts. Visitors from Sweden, India and other countries where these products are common should leave them at home.

What about nicotine replacement products?

Legitimate smoking cessation aids, such as nicotine patches, are sold in pharmacies and are not covered by the ban.

The same tobacco reforms also ended the sale of shisha, and Singapore separately bans heated tobacco and nicotine pouches. Read more on the Singapore bans page.

General information, not legal advice.