Therapists report surge in clients and clinic plans to open first Asian operation
Acupuncturists have seen a steady stream of smokers desperate to quit since the smoking ban was extended on January 1.
The ban has also offered a European-based supplier of quit-smoking aids an opportunity to open its first clinic in Asia.
Registered Chinese medicine practitioner Kim Tam Li-ying said that in the past she had had just four or five smokers a week who came for help to quit smoking. Since January 1, she was seeing three or four a day.
'Acupuncture has been used for smoking-cessation therapy by herbalists for years,' Ms Tam said.
'We usually apply the needles to eight acupoints on the patient's earlobes, forearms and shins. The treatment takes no more than 30 minutes. Most patients need only one acupuncture treatment to quit smoking.'