Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) has been organizing the “Quit to Win” Smoke-Free Community Campaign since 2009. The Campaign encourages smokers to quit through a smoking cessation contest, and connects various communities and industries across Hong Kong to collectively foster a social atmosphere conducive to smoking cessation. At its 15th anniversary, the Campaign garnered support and participation from over 100 organizations, including government departments, public organizations, district councils, District Health Centers/Express, community service organizations, as well as chambers and companies of various industries. From June to October 2024, about 90 recruitment sessions were held throughout the territory, alongside over 70 smoke-free promotional activities conducted in collaboration with district working partners. The Campaign has successfully motivated more than 1,300 smokers to quit and shared smoke-free messages with nearly 100,000 citizens.
COSH held a prize presentation ceremony today (24 March) to award the winners and successful quitters of the 15th “Quit to Win” Contest and commend the enthusiastic support from all collaborating organizations. Honorable guests included Dr Amy CHIU Pui-yin , JP (Controller, Regulatory Affairs of Department of Health), Mr CHAN Siu-hang (Assistant Commissioner (Operations), Correctional Services Department), Dr CHING Wai-kuen, Director (Strategy & Planning), Hospital Authority), Prof LAM Tai-hing, BBS, JP (Emeritus Professor, Honorary Clinical Professor of School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong), Prof Kelvin WANG Man-ping (Professor, School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong), Mr Henry TONG Sau-chai, BBS, MH, JP (COSH Chairman), Dr Johnnie CHAN Chi-kau, SBS, BBS, JP (COSH Vice-chairman) and Ms Vienna LAI Wai-yin (COSH Executive Director). Legislative Council Member, Hon Edmund WONG Chun-sek and guests from diverse sectors upheld the benefit of quitting smoking, and jointly called for public support to further reducing smoking prevalence, in order to achieve a smoke-free Hong Kong and enjoy a healthy life.
Since its launch, the Campaign has attracted over 18,000 participants to take the first step towards abstinence from smoking. By demonstrating winners’ successful quit experiences, more smokers have been inspired to embark on their own smoke-free journey. Mr Henry TONG, COSH Chairman said, “Every quitter has a unique motivation and journey for quitting. But quitting smoking yields them all significant rewards. Quitters commonly shared the remarkable positive improvements in their physical health, mental well-being, family relationships and work performance, in all a better quality of life. To mobilize more smokers to quit, the Campaign has constantly enhanced its services, strengthened the connections and synergized the promotions with different segments of the society. With the participation and support of collaborating partners, the quit rate reached a record high of nearly 33% this year, marking the encouraging achievements.” He appealed for the continuous collaboration with all sectors of society to promote smoking cessation, and solid support to strengthening tobacco control measures, including banning flavored tobacco, prohibiting the possession of alternative smoking products, and enhancing smoking cessation services, etc. in order to increase quit intention and prevent the first puff of tobacco, ultimately achieving a smoke-free Hong Kong.
Dr Amy CHIU, Controller, Regulatory Affairs of the Department of Health extended her congratulations to the winners of the contest and successful ex-smokers. She reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to tobacco control, "To safeguard public health, the Government has taken multifaceted tobacco control measures, such as legislation, taxation, provision of smoking cessation services etc., in a bid to reduce the hazards caused by smoking to the society. Smoking cessation is an important part of tobacco control. Through tobacco control measures and publicity and education, the Government encourages smokers to quit smoking and also offers free and convenient smoking cessation services to help them quit successfully as early as possible. Last year, the Government announced 10 tobacco control measures and will begin the legislative process. In the future, we will continue to explore medium- and long-term measures to further reduce the use of tobacco products and minimise the effect of second-hand smoke on the public.”
Mr CHOI Kwok-wai, the Champion of the 12th “Quit to Win” Contest, celebrated cessation achievement in the capacity of ceremony emcee. Artists Ms Hera CHAN and Mr Mark MA also took part in the event, reminded the public about the smoking hazards and introduced the free smoking cessation service via games and performance. They also encouraged smokers to make up the mind and determination to quit. The winners of the 15th “Quit to Win” Contest shared their experiences and tips of smoking cessation, while all successful quitters of the Contest and previous winners also attended to celebrate the joys of living a smoke-free life.
The Champion of the 15th “Quit to Win” Contest, Mr Jackson LAU Chat-shing, a professional in film and advertising, began smoking at the age of 20 under the influence of the industry’s pervasive smoking culture. He had smoked different types of smoking products, including e-cigarettes, which he found his health was worsened after using. Since he has tried hand-rolled cigarettes, he got more addicted and difficult to quit because he could customize the flavours on his own. A turning point came last year when his beloved uncle, a lifelong smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Too ill to attend Mr Lau’s wedding, his uncle expressed deep regret and urged him to quit smoking. Motivated by his uncle’s plea and the birth of his daughter, Mr Lau finally committed to quitting. In the early stages, he relied on drinking water and chewing gum to alleviate withdrawal symptoms such as sore throat, nausea, and headaches. He also took up hiking, breathing the fresh air to stay focused on cessation. At work, where smoking temptations were rampant, he announced his decision to quit, seeking support from colleagues and eliminating triggers. Whenever cravings struck, he drew strength from his uncle’s final words and the encouragement of his family, ultimately overcoming his addiction through sheer willpower. After successfully quitting, Mr Lau reflected on how the industry had romanticized smoking, used the pursuit of “inspiration” as an excuse to smoke, which perpetuated a toxic culture. However, he has noticed a positive shift, with fewer colleagues smoking and most young people avoiding the habit altogether. Mr Lau believes it is his responsibility to lead the change in correcting the industry’s smoking culture, ensuring that future generations are not influenced by peer pressure to smoke. Since quitting, Mr Lau has experienced significant improvements in his health and career. His lung function and sleep quality have noticeably improved, and he feels more energetic and motivated, leading to greater efficiency at work. The money saved from quitting has been redirected to support his newborn daughter.
First runner-up, Mr CHEUNG Wai-cheung who started smoking at 14 years old and struggled with multiple failed attempts to quit. An avid badminton player, he noticed a decline in his physical performance, while his non-smoking teammates excelled. Witnessing the health struggles of elderly smokers in his life, Mr Cheung resolved to quit, determined not to burden his family with smoking-related illnesses in the future. Encouraged by his son, he enrolled into the Contest to reclaim his health. The early stages of quitting were challenging, with withdrawal symptoms such as loss of appetite, sweating, anxiety, irritability, and insomnia. To cope, he used nicotine patches and acupuncture, while taking 12 days off work to avoid smoking triggers at his workplace. His wife also took leave to support him, providing snacks as substitutes and standing by his side throughout the ordeal. With his family’s unwavering support, he overcame the physical discomfort and embraced a smoke-free life. Since quitting, Mr Cheung has achieved remarkable improvements in his badminton performance and overall health. His lung capacity has significantly increased, allowing him to play without frequent breaks and effortlessly run 5 kilometers that exhausted him before. To celebrate his success, his family planned a trip to Japan, honoring his determination and hard work. He now encourages young colleagues to quit smoking, emphasizing that no excuse justifies harming one’s health. He further inspired others to take the first step toward a healthier, smoke-free future by determination and action, no matter of age.
Second runner-up, Ms ZHANG Li, started smoking at 13 years old due to peer temptation. Over time, she mistrusted that smoking helped her manage stress and organize her thoughts, leading to a growing addiction. Her mother, worried she would follow in her father’s footsteps and develop smoking-related illnesses, repeatedly urged her to quit, even teasing her as “elderly” for her persistent smoker’s cough. She once attempted to quit when cigarette prices surged but relapsed due to a lack of determination and proper cessation techniques. She even believed no price hike could make her quit. Last year, a health check revealed lung nodules, and her doctor advised her to quit immediately. While awaiting further test results, she was consumed with anxiety, fearing it might be too late to quit if the nodules were malignant. She also worried about her mother and underage children, who would be left uncared for if her health worsened. Fortunately, the nodules were benign, and Ms Zhang saw this as a second chance to transform her life. Determined to quit before surgery, she sought help from smoking cessation services, using acupuncture and nicotine patches to alleviate withdrawal symptoms like fatigue and low energy. She even encouraged two colleagues to quit with her, reducing workplace temptations and ultimately overcoming her addiction. Today, Ms Zhang no longer relies on nicotine to stay energized. She handles work stress with calmness and clarity, a stark contrast to her previous reliance on smoking. Her family is overjoyed, and their relationship has also improved, especially her mother, who is proud of her decision to prioritize health.
The merit was awarded to Mr LIU Chi-nang and Mr YU Yiu-nin. Mr Liu, who started smoking due to work and social pressures, decided to quit to protect his children from secondhand and thirdhand smoke exposure and to set a positive example. During his journey, he used family photos as motivation whenever cravings arose and publicly announced his decision to quit to friends and colleagues. Since quitting, he has reconnected with non-smoking friends and enjoys more quality time with his family, including walks with their pets. Mr Yu had long wanted to quit but lacked the determination until his 11-year-old daughter confronted him, urging him to leave home if he continued smoking. Although initially upset, he reflected on his family’s concerns. Later, during a hospital stay for illness, he finally committed to quitting, updating his family on his progress and successfully overcoming his addiction after discharge. His family now considers quitting smoking as his greatest achievement in 2024.
COSH thanked the District Councils, district working partners and various organizations for their joint efforts in promoting the smoke-free community concept.
The 15th “Quit to Win” Smoke-free Community Campaign were supported by about 100 organizations, including government and public institutions, District Health Centers/Express, smoking cessation service providers, community organizations, chamber and companies from the catering, construction, housing management, and transport and logistics industries.
The winners of 15th “Quit to Win” Contest: Mr YU Yiu-nin (Merit) (first to the left), Mr CHEUNG Wai-cheung (first runner-up) (fourth to the left), Mr LAU Chat-shing (champion) (seventh to the left), Ms ZHANG Li (second runner-up) (fourth to the right), and Mr LIU Chi-nang (Merit) (second to the right) shared their inspiring quit stories and tips with the audience.
Successful quitters and previous winners from “Quit to Win” Contests attended the ceremony, to share and witness the joys of smoke-free healthy lifestyle.