SAMARAHAN: The number of women and youth taking up smoking is alarming despite the government’s anti-smoking campaign - the ‘Tak Nak Merokok’ programme.

Health director Dr Andrew Kiyu, who pointed this out, said that the department would continue to carry out anti-smoking campaign, by carrying out road shows at various public institutions of higher learning.

According to him, based on the `Tak Nak Merokok’ study carried out in 2005, 5.4 per cent of smokers said they wanted to quit in one month’s time, 6.4 per cent intended to stop in six months, and 44.5 said they would quit in future.

More than 90 per cent of smokers, non-smokers and youths are aware of the campaign and knew about the diseases caused by smoking.

He was speaking at the launching of the state-level ‘Karnival Sihat Sepanjang Hayat - Jom Nak Merokok’ at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) campus here yesterday.

The anti-smoking campaign was an ongoing process to give information to the public about the dangers of smoking and to discourage youth from taking the habit.

Unimas board of directors chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Bujang Mohd Nor officiated at the function which was also attended by Unimas deputy vice chancellor Prof Dr Khairuddin Abd Hamid.

Dr Kiyu pointed out that there needed to be a concrete and serious effort and programme to prevent more youths from taking up the habit.

He also said it was an individual determination to voluntarily quit smoking.