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 kick the habit 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, in collaboration with over 90 diversified organizations, including District Councils, district health centres, district working partners, associations and companies from various industries, the territory-wide 13th “Quit to Win” Smoke-free Community Campaign was successfully held. From June to October 2022, totally over 80 recruitment and promotion activities had been organized, recruitingnearly1,300 smokers to quit smoking. Moreover, smoke-free messages were spread to over 150,000 members of public through over 70 smoke-free promotion activities via online and offline channels.
COSH held a prize presentation ceremony today (21 March) to award the winners and successful quitters of the 13th“Quit to Win” Contest and commend the enthusiastic support from all collaborating organizations. Honorable guests included Dr Libby LEE Ha-yun, JP (Under Secretary for Health), Dr FUNG Ying (Head, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, Department of Health), Prof LAM Tai-hing, BBS, JP (Emeritus Professor and Honorary Clinical Professor of School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong), Mr Henry TONG Sau-chai, MH, JP (COSH Chairman), Dr Johnnie CHAN Chi-kau,SBS, BBS, JP (COSH Vice-chairman) and Ms Vienna LAI Wai-yin (COSH Executive Director). All guests of the event called for the public’s support to smoking cessation and tobacco control development in Hong Kong,I n a bid to achieve a smoke-free healthy life.
Mr Henry TONG, COSH Chairman said, “Despite the novel coronavirus pandemic, “Quit to Win” Contest was conducted with remarkable results. Number of participants and abstinence rate achieved the record high in recent years. As anti-pandemic measures had been lifted, smoking situation and its prevalence are likely to rebound. Hence, the government and the community have to strengthen the efforts in tobacco control and promoting smoke-free culture.” He encouraged citizens to keep the smoke-free healthy habit, motivate smoking family members and friends to quit as soon as possible. In addition, COSH called on all sectors of the community to advocate tobacco control policies, such as extending the statutory smoke-free areas, reducing the attractiveness and addictiveness of tobacco products, etc. to move towards a tobacco-free generation and actualize the zero smoking vision in Hong Kong.
The Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby LEE, congratulated the winners of the contest and successful ex-smokers. She said, “The Government spares no effort in pressing ahead tobacco control measures and has been adopting multipronged strategies to progressively reduce the smoking prevalence of Hong Kong. With the objective of bringing the smoking prevalence rate down to 7.8% in 2025 and the ultimate goal of creating a smoke-free Hong Kong, we are going to consult the community by the middle of this year to explore further strengthening of tobacco control in all-round. Meanwhile, to safeguard public health, the Government would engage District Health Centres and smoking cessation service providers to continue encouraging and providing support to smokers in quitting smoking through free smoking cessation service in diversified approach and enhancement of public awareness towards smoking hazards.”
Artists Ms Crystal FUNG and Mr Danny HUNG also took part in the ceremony and reminded the public about the smoking hazards and promoted the benefits of quitting via games and performance. They also encouraged smokers to make up the mind a determination to quit. Successful quitters of all “Quit to Win” Contests shared their joys of being smoke-free while the winners of the 13th “Quit to Win” Contest shared their experiences and tips of smoking cessation.
The Champion, Mr CHENG Wai-kit took up smoking for over 20 years due to the working pressure. His wife hoped that he could kick the habit and encouraged him by carrot and stick approach over the years. Mr CHENG kept delaying his promise to quit with an excuse of stress and emotion release, and continued to smoke. Until last year, he was invited by smoking cessation counselors of the Campaign to join the “Quit to Win” Contest when he was smoking in the street. Motivated by the thought that presenting it a gift of their15th wedding anniversary gift, Mr CHENG determined to make a quit attempt. In the cessation process, the most challenging experience was to resist the carve and temptation of smoking during the long quarantine period at duty travels, while combatting withdrawal symptoms, such as being emotional and hard to concentrate, made his quit attempt harder. He used the Tangle and quit tools provided by the Contest to divert attention and get over the urge of smoking. Finally, he successfully overcame all withdrawal symptoms and maintained smoke-free in the one-month quarantine period. Abstained from smoking, he is aware that smoking can’t help relieving stress and anxiety, while good health and smoke-free living environment is vital to himself and his beloved one. Moreover, Mr CHENG became more passionate and positive to cope with various challenges in life, feel bliss and joy in daily life.
First runner-up, Mr WAN Tit-leung is a retiree who started smoking when he was 15 years old. He had made several quit attempts but failed. Until last year, he temporarily stopped smoking during the quarantine period after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Noticing the advertisement of the “Quit to Win” Contest in social media during the quarantine period, he made up the mind to quit and enrolled into the contest. Strong determination drove Mr WAN to stop smoking immediately since the first day of enrollment. To reinforce himself to stay away from smoking and diverse attention from smoking urge, he wrote “I must win” in the self-help smoking cessation booklet provided by the Contest and recorded every day the progress, difficulties and experiences of the one-month quit process. Being smoke-free now, his health condition is apparently improved with smooth breath. He has no longer asthma, coughing and black phlegm due to the intake of harmful substances from cigarettes. Without the constraint of nicotine, he maintains a healthy and consistent life routine with regular rest time. He becomes more energetic for voluntary and social services. He values much that here gains health and time to enjoy retirement life and make family trips after kicking the smoking habit.
Second runner-up, Mr LIT Ching-cheong had smoked for about 40 years. He used to smoke one pack of cigarettes daily, and heavier after work and at mealtime. Smoking worsened his health condition and caused insomnia frequently due to muscle twitching in the midnight. Because of lack of motivation, he did not take any action to quit smoking. On the day after his 50thbirthday, he met the recruitment booth of the “Quit to Win” Contest in the street. With the encouragement from his beloved one, he made quitting as his birthday wish and intended to bring some changes for the second half of life. Decided to kick the habit, Mr LIT planned to resist tobacco craving by exercises. He started gym workout and stopped smoking immediately. In the past, he always smoked a lot with alcohol while dining in “Dai Pai Dong” and became obese. Successful quitting improved his health condition along with healthy lifestyle. No longer smoke and drink, Mr LIT goes to gym room after work every day. He trained up with a fit body and the muscle twitching problem no longer exists. He feels spirited and youthful, and finds that life becomes more positive and meaningful.
COSH thanked the District Councils, district working partners and various organizations for their tremendous support to the 13th “Quit to Win” Smoke-free Community Campaign.
The winners of 13th “Quit to Win” Contest (from left) Mr WAN Tit-leung (first runner-up), Mr CHENG Wai-kit (champion) and Mr LIT Ching-cheong (second runner-up) shared their inspiring quit stories and tips with the audience.