31 May is designated as World No Tobacco Day around the world every year in order to raise public awareness on smoking hazards. Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) is organizing a Smoke-free Publicity Programme for World No Tobacco Day 2015 with the theme of “Go smoke-free, live carefree” to promote the importance of a smoke-free life. COSH partners with local cartoon character McDull to design a set of interesting and effective quit tips.
The kick-off event of the programme was held today. Officiating guests included Dr KO Wing-man (Secretary for Food and Health), Prof Sophia CHAN (Under Secretary for Food and Health), Dr Constance CHAN (Director of Health), Prof LAM Tai-hing (Chair Professor of Community Medicine & Sir Robert Kotewall Professor in Public Health, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong), Antonio KWONG (COSH Chairman), Yolanda NG (COSH Vice-chairman) and Smoke-free Ambassador Edmond LEUNG. Cartoon characters McDull and McMug made a pledge with the public to support a smoke-free Hong Kong and encouraged them to spread the smoke-free messages among family and friends.
“Through a diverse range of programmes, COSH aims to promote the benefits of smoking cessation and mobilize non-smokers to encourage their smoking family and friends to go smoke-free and live carefree to protect themselves from hazards of smoking and secondhand smoke,” said Antonio KWONG, COSH Chairman.
Dr KO Wing-man, Secretary for Food and Health remarked that the publicity and education initiatives launched by COSH and other organizations help unite all walks of life in creating a supportive atmosphere for smoking cessation. With the positive energy, smokers become more determined to kick the habit and restore health.
COSH invited representatives of “Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2013” Gold Awardees, including ARA Asset Management (Fortune) Ltd; Kwai Chung Hospital and Richform Holdings Ltd to introduce how they incorporated smoke-free culture into their policies and encouraged staff and stakeholders to get rid of tobacco addiction. Winners of “Smoke-free Family Colouring Competition” were also invited to share the importance of a smoke-free family via their drawings. Smoke-free Ambassador Edmond LEUNG and artist Kandy WONG, together with the masters of ceremonies Jim YAN and Maggie YEONG promoted the benefits of a smoke-free lifestyle through interactive games.
To motivate more smokers to kick the habit, COSH and Commercial Radio One produced a series of “Go smoke-free, live carefree” programme. The three artists including Edmond LEUNG, Mark LUI and KWOK Chun-on shared how they successfully quitted smoking on their own will to safeguard the health of their family and their own. They enjoyed happy family relationships and a healthy lifestyle after going smoke-free. Their stories and quit tips should strengthen the quitters’ determination and motivation. The first episode was broadcasted on 29 May and the other two episodes will be broadcasted on 1 June and 2 June during the radio programme “Circles” at Commercial Radio One.
Besides, an online platform has been launched for the mass public to pledge for a smoke-free Hong Kong. Participants can download a McDull smoke-free certificate and share with family and friends on social media platform. COSH also organizes a quit tips contest inviting successful quitters or those who helped smokers kick the habit to provide interesting and effective quit tips. Participants are eligible for winning a HK$500 supermarket cash coupon. Details of the programme can be found at www.smokefree.hk/pledge.
Officiating guests and representatives of different sectors pledged for a smoke-free Hong
Kong.
Smoke-free Ambassador Edmond LEUNG and artist Kandy WONG promoted the importance of a smoke-free lifestyle through games.