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The third Smoke-free Restaurant Open Day was held today (December 29) to help operators of food premises familiarise themselves with implementation of the smoking ban in indoor areas from January 1 as required under the newly amended Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance.
Speaking at a ceremony held in a karaoke lounge to mark the Open Day, the Deputy Director of Health, Dr TH Leung, said more than 300 restaurants of different nature, size, and cuisines, joined the event, and displayed posters and prominent no-smoking signs in their premises to remind clients of the smoke-free requirement.
Wearing badges of Smoke-Free Ambassadors, staff of these restaurants helped distribute pamphlets and gave advice to clients patronising the restaurants.
Dr Leung appealed to people to comply with the legislative requirements and to co-operate with staff of the restaurants in maintaining a smoke-free environment.
A quit smoking experience sharing session was given by three ex-smokers, Mr Wong Yuk-man, Dr Patrick Wong Lung-tak, and Ms Cheng Lee-kuen, the winner of the Smoke-free Restaurants Open Day Slogan Competition.
Dr Leung said it was vitally important to protect people from second-hand smoke and help smokers quit the deadly habit as it was a well-known fact that smoking was one of the causes of preventable deaths in Hong Kong.
He said that a smoking cessation guideline had been prepared specifically for workers in the catering industry to advise them on how to quit smoking.
He further appealed to people who were smokers to take this chance to quit smoking.
Smokers who want to quit smoking can call the Tobacco Control Office hotline 1833 183 during office hours and talk directly to registered nurses to seek professional advice on smoking cessation. Information on stopping smoking can be obtained by fax outside office hours.
The hotline also provides tri-lingual pre-recorded messages on stopping smoking and arranges referral to smoking cessation clinics, if necessary.
Noting that determination, perseverance, enabling environment and effective methods of smoking cessation were key elements for quitting smoking, Dr Leung said the support of family members and friends of smokers were also important.
More information is available at TCOï·¿s website (http://www.tco.gov.hk).
Apart from the Department of Health, the Hospital Authority and organisations in the private sector also provided smoking cessation services to the public (see Annex).
At the end of the ceremony, Dr Leung and Mr Anthony Lock, who are co-chairmen of the Smoke-free Restaurants Working Group, and other members of the Working Group distributed no-smoking pamphlets to customers of a nearby restaurant.
Ends/Friday, December 29, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:22
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