The campaign is needed as non-smokers have been subjected to polluted air for too many years, said State Health executive committee chairman Dr Robia Kosai.

  The campaign also showed that the state government cared about the health of the people, she added.

  The campaign will be launched  by Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman in Nusajaya on May 31.

  "Although the Healthy Ministry has gazetted 21 areas such as hospitals, learning institutions, shopping complexes and stadiums as smoke-free, we hope to have more areas on the list," she said after launching the Johor Bebas Asap Rokok logo at Sultan Ismail Hospital, here, recently.

  Also present were  Johor Health Department director Dr Mohd Khairi Yakob and Sultan Ismail Hospital director Dr Arbain Lani.

  Robia said the logo would help to shape Johor's identity as a smoke-free state, and would  be used in government departments and private agencies.

  She said the state government had started preparing the campaign last year, adding that it had fulfilled the standard set by the World Health Organisation.