Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) has organized the “Quit to Win” Smoke-free Community Campaign since 2009. The Campaign motivates smokers to quit and promotes the smoke-free lifestyle through a smoking cessation contest and a series of district-based smoke-free promotion activities, as well as media promotion, counseling, and scientific research on smoking cessation. This year, the territory-wide 11th “Quit to Win” Smoke-free Community Campaign received continuous support from the 18 District Councils and collaborated with 16 district working partners. Totally over 80 recruitments and promotion activities had been organized and over 1,300 smokers had been recruited to kick the habit. Besides, joint with more than 50 trade associations from catering, construction, transportation and housing management industries, Correctional Services Department, Hong Kong Jockey Club, Link Asset Management Limited and smoking cessation partners, the Campaign spread the smoke-free messages to over 50,000 members of public.
COSH held a prize presentation ceremony today (23 March) to award the winners of the 11th “Quit to Win” Contest and commend the District Councils, district working partners and various supporting organizations for their enthusiastic support. Honorable guests included Mr WONG Kwok-hing (Deputy Commissioner, Correctional Services Department), Dr FUNG Ying (Head, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, Department of Health), Prof LAM Tai-hing, BBS, JP (Chair Professor of Community Medicine and Sir Robert Kotewall Professor in Public Health, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong), Mr Henry TONG, MH, JP (COSH Chairman), Dr Johnnie CHAN, BBS, JP (COSH Vice-chairman) and Ms Vienna LAI (COSH Executive Director). During the ceremony, guests called for the public’s support to smoking cessation and tobacco control works, as well as to say NO to all forms of smoking products.
Mr Henry TONG, COSH Chairman, encouraged smokers to quit early to enhance personal hygiene and immunity to improve health and fight the coronavirus. To safeguard the health of our own and beloved ones, the public are appealed to promote smoking cessation and support tobacco control policies. He stated, “Tobacco control in Hong Kong is facing numerous challenges, especially the emergence of alternative smoking products including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs). These products will not only endure the hazards of smoking to smokers but also extends the harms to our next generations. Any kinds of new smoking products could undermine our achievements and efforts in curbing tobacco epidemic over the years.” To achieve a smoke-free Hong Kong as soon as possible, COSH appeals the community to jointly support tobacco control measures, including banning alternative smoking products, raising tobacco tax and extending smoke-free area, etc.
The Secretary for Food and Health, Prof Sophia CHAN, congratulated the winners and successful quitters of the contest via pre-recorded video. She remarked, “The Government has been adopting multipronged tobacco control measures to progressively reduce the smoking prevalence of Hong Kong to one of the lowest in the world. To achieve the target of reducing the smoking prevalence to 7.8% in 2025, the Government will continue to work with different sectors and the District Health Centres that are coming into operation, to provide primary healthcare service and promote smoking cessation, for example, by providing diversified and free smoking cessation services and strengthening public awareness towards smoking hazards, with a view to reducing all forms of tobacco use and safeguard public health.”
Successful quitters as well as artists Ms Samantha KO, Mr Jack WU and Mr Daniel CHAU also took part in the ceremony and were engaged in interactive games and performances that reminded the public about the smoking hazards and promoted the benefits of quitting. The winners of the 11th “Quit to Win” Contest shared their experiences and tips of smoking cessation.
The Champion, Mr YU Man-hon lit up his first cigarette at 15 years old under peer influence. Being urged to quit by his wife, he used HTPs and shirked giving up smoking. After using HTPs, his health condition became worse, and he even felt hasten heartbeat and out of breath when walking the stairs. As advised by the doctor for family planning, he eventually understood that all forms of smoking, no matter cigarettes or HTPs, harm fertility and release secondhand and third-hand smoke that adversely affect family members’ health. With Mrs YU's encouragement, he determined to enroll the “Quit to Win” Contest and quit all smoking products. He firmly announced his quit plan to all friends and family members and rejected smoking invitations from others. Having received encouragement from regular follow-ups of the Contest and being hesitated to take off the masks to smoke in public places, his determination was further strengthened. Finally, Mr YU successfully overcame all withdrawal symptoms and kicked the habit with support by his loved ones. Now, he enjoys hiking without being winded and his wife is thrilled for being free from the secondhand smoke. He encouraged quitters to be perseverant and remarked that it is definitely worth to quit for the health of own self and family despite it may not be easy to overcome the barriers during the quit process.
First runner-up, Ms WONG Tsz-tung took up smoking at 25 years old when she worked abroad in Australia. She started smoking due to pressure, boredom and temptation from colleagues. She had tried to quit after coming back Hong Kong, but relapsed due to smoking craving. She saw the “Quit to Win” poster displayed in lift lobby and decided to accept the challenge to quit smoking. Instead of only relying on willpower in the previous attempt, Ms WONG took up various kinds of hobbies and activities such as gym and boxing to distract herself and aid smoking cessation. She also regularly reminded herself that smoking affects personal image and appearance to resist the craving. Now, when she feels down, she chooses calling friends to talk instead of smoking. In the past, she used to wear strong perfume and take chewing gum for covering the cigarette smell before meeting with clients. Successfully kicked the habit, her skin condition was markedly improved, and the problems of bad breath and smell no longer exist. She also develops habit of regular exercise to keep the figure. She encourages smokers to quit for health as soon as possible and advised that the later a smoker to quit, the more likely to be suffered from serious diseases caused by smoking.
Second runner-up, Mr LEE Ming-tat had smoked for 30 years. He had suffered from stroke and hemiplegia two years ago. However, he did not sense that smoking is one of the main causes of stroke, ignored medical advice and carried on smoking. During the recovery period at home, he always felt upset and therefore smoked more. However, it did not help him relieve from pressure. Instead, smoking made the negative emotion and feeling dragged down. Until last year, Mr LEE knew the “Quit to Win” Contest in social media platform and took his friend’s advice, he eventually decided to try to quit. Through the referral from the Campaign, he received appropriate smoking cessation services and nicotine replacement therapy such as nicotine patch and gum. These helped him ease the withdrawal symptoms. He remarked that the regular calls from staff of the Contest gave him support and motivated him to persist in quitting. Upon successfully quit smoking, he felt more optimistic and energetic and hold a positive mind.
Photo Captions

COSH thanked the District Councils, district working partners and various organizations for their tremendous support to the 11th “Quit to Win” Smoke-free Community Campaign.

The winners of 11th “Quit to Win” Contest (from left) Ms WONG Tsz-tung (first runner-up), Mr YU Man-hon (champion) and Mr LEE Ming-tat (second runner-up) shared their inspiring quit stories and tips with the audience.