PESHAWAR, Sept 25: The NWFP chapter of the Pakistan Chest Society has expressed concern over what it called excessive use of tobacco by university students, which has shot up from one to five per cent among girl students in a short span of time.

Citing a study conducted by the society, Dr Mukhtiar Zaman Afridi, provincial president, said that the tobacco use among male university students had risen from 15 per cent to 27.

Addressing a press conference to announced the launch of a quit-smoking campaign here on Monday, he said devising measures against smoking was one of the society’s foremost objectives.

“The holy month of Ramazan is the best time to abandon the use of tobacco,” he said.

About 40 per cent men used different types of tobacco in the NWFP while 8 to 12 per cent women had also taken to the habit, he added.