Chewing gum ban in Singapore

The following dialogue is invented — my comic version of the story, not a quotation from any official.

Dialogue in the government:
 — Prime Minister, we built a subway in Singapore for 5 billion dollars! And do you know what some passengers do with our Beauty? 
 — Whoa-whoa! And what are they doing? Are they enjoying and thanking the government? 
 — That too. But they stick chewing gum on the train door sensors and generally stick this nasty stuff everywhere! Tragedy! 
 — Ehhh… And what do we do in such cases in Singapore? 
 — Of course, we ban it! Let’s ban chewing gum!

This is a loose retelling of the reasons behind Singapore’s 1992 chewing-gum restrictions. As checked in August 2026, Singapore Customs lists ordinary chewing gum as prohibited from import, with exceptions for approved oral dental and medicinal gum. The famous “chewing gum ban” is therefore real, but narrower than the legend: chewing a piece of gum is not itself the offence.

On the bright side, you will never accidentally sit on someone’s chewing gum stuck under a table at a restaurant with your favorite pants…