Charles Ho, who has died after developing lung cancer, turned from a staunch supporter of Hong Kong smokers’ rights to a firm opponent of deadly habit
It is not that unusual for well-known people to become public anti-smoking converts after being diagnosed with diseases related to tobacco use. An example was tycoon Charles Ho Tsu-kwok, who died this week aged 75, months after revealing he had lung cancer. Ho was involved in national and local affairs as a standing committee member of China’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and as a former owner of Sing Tao News Corporation.
But what really set him apart as the anti-smoker he became was that he inherited a tobacco empire from his grandfather, Ho Ying-chie, founder of the Hong Kong Tobacco Company.
Indeed, Ho was until late in life a staunch advocate of smokers’ rights in the face of incontrovertible evidence of the deadly health risks. He once said “one has freedom in deciding whether to smoke” and that death was a “personal matter”.
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The public switch to anti-smoker and the admission he had changed his mind was not out of character for someone with strong views. Former chief executive and CPPCC vice-chairman Leung Chun-ying can attest to that. Known for his outspoken comments on politics, Ho attacked Leung during the chief executive race in 2012, questioning his ability to govern, which prompted Leung to accuse Sing Tao News Corp of running a smear campaign. But Leung said the pair got along afterwards, with the tycoon being a frequent guest at Government House and a source of interesting insights.
The public reconciliation of Ho with anti-smoking health minister Lo Chung-mau, whom he once described as “like a drone, monitoring the whereabouts of smokers”, was more personal. It came after his cancer diagnosis. The pair appeared on television urging viewers to quit smoking. Ho said the strain of chemotherapy and radiotherapy had caused him to change his mind, and he thanked Lo for his campaigns on the issue.
Lo said Ho had bravely shared his experience with the public, raising awareness of the dangers of smoking. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu paid tribute to the contributions of Ho to the media, national affairs and the city’s development. But it is the anti-smoking message of a tobacco tycoon that may make the biggest difference.
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
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