Which agency to call to report underage smokers?

SINGAPORE- Last Friday, at around 2pm, I noticed a group of students, in their school uniforms, smoking at a basketball court in West Coast Road.

Coincidentally, there were two National Environment Agency (NEA) officers patrolling the area. To my astonishment, the officers walked past the students and did not take any action.

I called the NEA hotline but was told it was not illegal to smoke at outdoor basketball courts. I explained again that the smokers were secondary school students and obviously underage, but was told that this did not fall under the NEA's jurisdiction.

Unwilling to let the matter rest, I called the West Coast neighbourhood police post but was told to call the NEA instead.

After explaining the situation again and describing my previous call to the NEA, the officer finally agreed to send someone down to check on the situation.

The police officers arrived more than 30 minutes later, by which time the students were nowhere to be found.

Huang Muen

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