DH launches Quit in June campaign in support of World No Tobacco Day (with photos)
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The World Health Organization has marked May 31 as World No Tobacco Day annually to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocate for a effective tobacco control policy to reduce tobacco consumption. The theme for this year's World No Tobacco Day is "Grow food, not tobacco". Not only does tobacco growing harm people's health, it also contributes to the global food crisis.
A spokesman for the DH said, "With the Quit in June campaign, the DH has launched a new advertisement on television and radio, and is advertising through public transportation networks to encourage smokers to quit. We will also offer a reason or a tip to quit smoking every day via social media platforms in June to encourage smokers to quit smoking."
Separately, the DH has all along subvented non-governmental organisations to provide a wide range of free smoking cessation services and support, including counselling, medication, Chinese medicine acupuncture, etc. Smokers can also make use of the mail-to-quit service from these service providers to receive cessation medications by post for free.
To further assist smokers to quit smoking, the DH is offering one-week trial packs of smoking cessation drugs (nicotine replacement therapy), at more than 200 community pharmacies, smoking cessation clinics, and District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses (DHCs/DHCEs) across the territory for free. These drugs help smokers ease withdrawal symptoms and encourage them to try to quit smoking.
People who wish to quit smoking can go to community pharmacies where one-week nicotine replacement therapy trial pack stickers are displayed. After a simple assessment by pharmacists, they can scan the QR code with the "Quit Smoking App" and then obtain a one-week trial pack of smoking cessation drugs for free. They can also go to smoking cessation clinics or DHCs/DHCEs with an appointment and obtain relevant medicines.
A nicotine replacement therapy course generally lasts about eight to 12 weeks. If smokers decide to quit smoking after using the trial pack for a week, they can make follow-up appointments with free smoking cessation services by non-governmental organisations. The spokesman stressed that it is beneficial for smokers of all ages to quit smoking as it brings immediate and long-term health benefits. Smokers who stay tobacco-free for four weeks would be five times more likely to quit for good.
Smokers can call 1833 183 or visit the smoking cessation thematic website www.livetobaccofree.hk for more information on quitting and the available supporting tools and services. They can also download the "Quit Smoking App" to keep track of their progress in quitting and get tips to deal with cravings so as to stay tobacco-free.
Ends/Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Issued at HKT 11:00
Issued at HKT 11:00
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