User talk:Emily radler/sandbox

Litter in Singapore is actually very rare for a variety of reasons. Singapore is known for its strict laws against littering of any kind. In order to maintain their reputation as the cleanest city in the world, fines can range from S$1, 000 for dropping a simple piece of trash to S$20, 000 for the authorized consumption of illegal drugs. The Corrective Work Order requires repeat offenders to spend a few hours cleaning a public place wearing bright jackets, and in some cases, the local media are invited to cover the public spectacle.

History of Litter Laws
The country's litter laws go as far back as 1968, when its authoritarian prime minister, Lee Kwan Yew, tried to force civility on his country en bloc with a "Keep Singapore Clean" campaign. Laws continued to get harsher in 1987, with higher minimum fines, and increased even more with the Corrective Work Order program, that has litter bugs pick up trash for no pay or in turn face a S$5,000 fine. "Work is to be done under the full glare of publicity as otherwise the deterrent effect would be lost," says Maggie Chia, a customer- service worker with the country's National Environment Agency.

Chewing Gum
Adhering to the prevention of litter of any sort, the import, sale and possession of chewing gum is banned. This rule was enacted because of the high cost and difficulty in removing the sticky substance from public premises. In a few instances, chewing gum stuck on the Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) train doors keeping the trains from moving.

Smoking
Although smoking is legal, it's banned in public buses, taxis, elevators, theatres, cinemas, government offices, and in air-conditioned restaurants and shopping centers. Fines for first time offenders can be as high as S$1, 000.

Drugs
When it comes to drugs, the toll goes way up. For those convicted of trafficking, manufacturing, importing or exporting more than 15g of heroin, 30g of morphine, 30g of cocaine, 500g of cannabis, 200g of cannabis resin and 1.2kg of opium, the death penalty is mandatory. By even possessing any of these quantities, you are automatically considered a trafficker and therefore subject to the death penalty. As for unauthorized consumption of any illegal drugs, there is a maximum of 10 years' jail, a fine of S$20,000, or both.