Mouthing Off | Hong Kong government’s ‘alcohol causes cancer’ campaign contradicts its wish to be a wine hub. So we can distribute, just not drink it, right?

There’s a government mascot called the Lazy Lion. They created it in 2020 to encourage sedentary citizens in ads to “fight the virus” and be healthier. The character is defined by an odd spit curl in its mane on the top of its head.

Since then, Lazy Lion has been used to promote all kinds of public health messages, including to sit less, walk more, eat smart, stop smoking and, most recently, to quit drinking.

I was taken aback when I recently saw this poster, with the cartoon lion holding a placard featuring a wine glass crossed out and an emphatic slogan: “ALCOHOL causes CANCER.”

That’s rather dramatic, isn’t it? Yes, if you drink a gallon of 100-proof moonshine in a short period, you’re going to be very ill. Excess use of anything is bad. But lots of studies also say a glass or two of red wine with your meal improves your heart. Has the Lazy Lion joined the ranks of hyperbole propaganda and fake news?

It wasn’t too long ago that politicians lobbied for Hong Kong to be a regional wine hub, dropping all duties and taxes for merchants and traders. And it worked. The sector’s revenue in 2021 was over US$600 million. We are now the biggest wine re-importer into China, a major centre for international wine auctions, and at the forefront of sophisticated oenophile appreciation.

It’s quite a U-turn that the government suddenly thinks this fast-growing market consists of cancer-causing products. What a mixed message. It’s OK to sell and distribute, but don’t drink it yourself. That sounds like the first rule of successful drug dealing: don’t get high on your own supply!