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Prof Patrick WONG, with frequent exposure on television, is a professional accountant as well as an enthusiast in promoting tobacco control. He had smoked for over 30 years. Though he understood the harmful effects of tobacco use, the idea to quit had never crossed Wong’s mind until he found that his son refused to get close to him due to the stink of smoke. He restored his happy family life by kicking the habit in 1995 as a gift to his kids. He also acted as a role model to encourage smokers to quit by setting up the Quit-Winners Club.
Prof Wong started smoking at the age of 15 due to curiosity and peer influence. He used to consume as many as 3 packs of cigarettes a day. He had never considered quitting smoking when he was young as death was so far away. After marriage, he had tried to stop smoking many times as advised by his wife but eventually failed. His emotional “roller-coaster rides” prevailed due to the withdrawal symptoms.
Get rid of cigarette stink for intimate parent-child relationship
In his middle age, he realized that smoking was a selfish act as his health status would affect his family. Hence, he joined a “Quit Smoking Camp” co-organizaed by Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health and a radio partner in 1995. He announced his will on smoking cessation in a radio programme which further strengthened his determination.
In the camp, Prof Wong was touched by the passion of the newly met smoking cessation volunteers. His wife and his sons also gave him tremendous support. In order not to disappoint his family and to adhere to his pledge, he kicked the smoking habit successfully with determination. His health and family relationship improved a lot after quitting smoking as the bad smell of smoke was away from Prof Wong and his sons were willing to come close to him.
Quit tips: Make your pledge to quit publicly
Accountancy is one of the stressful industries. Practitioners may use it as an excuse to smoke. Prof Wong pointed out that smoking could not relieve stress. On the contrary, nicotine may make people unmindful and inattentive at work. He claimed that his office was in a mess in the old days with ashtrays full of cigarette butts. As the chairman of Quit-Winners Club, he aimed to gather a group of successful quitters and healthcare professionals to support tobacco control works and promote smoking cessation.
