World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence

About the Centre

Since the establishment in 2001, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of Department of Health has strived hard to promote a smoke-free culture. Besides legislation and law enforcement, we also actively promote smoke-free messages through publicity and education. With the signing and ratifying the Framework convention on Tobacco Control by The People's Republic of China in October 2005, Hong Kong has made great headways into addressing the tobacco epidemic using the MPOWER measures recommending by World Health Organization (WHO).

As a result of incremental and multi-pronged strategies including legislation, taxation, education and publicity, banning of tobacco advertisement, law enforcement and offer of smoking cessation services, Hong Kong has reduced the smoking prevalence from 23% in 1982 to 10.7% in 2012. Additional resources have been allocated to smoking cessation and TACO has been enhancing local services through enhancement of quitline services, capacity building of community partners and empowerment of healthcare workers. Over the years, DH has trained up more than 100 healthcare personnel from Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam in smoking cessation services. In April 2012, TACO was designated by WHO as the Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence. The Centre was launched by the Regional Director of the Western Pacific of WHO, Dr Shin Young-soo. The Centre serves as a regional hub to support smoking cessation trainings and program evaluation in particular helping the Western Pacific Region. In addition, it also coordinates local training activities and engages a consortium of service providers in Hong Kong as key smoking cessation partners.