Teen fined S$600 for licking iJooz straw

A 19-year-old French student in Singapore has been fined S$600 after pleading guilty to a public nuisance charge. In March, Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien filmed himself licking a straw from an iJooz orange juice vending machine and returned it to the dispenser. The video, intended as a social media stunt, went viral, raising concerns about public hygiene. Prosecutors noted that the act was staged, caused no direct harm, and the contaminated straw was not used by the public. Maximilien, a business student, will study in France from September to December. Immigration authorities will determine whether he can retain his student pass in Singapore. In response, iJooz sanitized the machine, replaced all straws, and is upgrading its machines for better hygiene. Singapore enforces strict public behavior laws and heavy penalties for offenses affecting public cleanliness.