Wednesday, 20 November, 2002, 10:44 GMT

Singapore has agreed to relax its decade-long ban on chewing gum.

The pristine city-state, which did not like gum sticking to its pavements, has been under pressure to lift the ban as part of a trade deal with the US.

But Singapore's gum-chewers are not salivating yet - the government says chewing gum will only be available to people with a medical prescription.

Singapore's chief negotiator for the trade pact said the move was a concession to the US.

"There's a compromise agreed between the two countries, where sugarless gum prescribed by doctors and dentists as having therapeutic benefits will be sold by pharmacists," Tommy Koh told reporters.

However, even smokers who have been prescribed gum to help them stop smoking will not get their fix immediately, as the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is unlikely to take effect until after 2004.

Many locals agreed the change was long overdue.

"The whole ban idea was not a good idea to start with but it did help to educate Singaporeans about the nuisance effects of chewing gum," 41-year-old manager Daniel Quek told Reuters news agency.

"Now Singaporeans, including kids, are more mature about their civic responsibilities. It's time for the chewing gum ban to go."

The import, manufacture and sale of chewing gum has been banned in Singapore since 1992, and the penalty for smuggling gum into the country is a year in jail, and a 10,000 Singapore dollar- ($5,500-) fine.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2002