DOCTOR'S IDEAS TO CURB KID SMOKERS GOOD ONES

A Cape Girardeau doctor's campaign to get the city of Cape Girardeau to adopt more stringent regulations pertaining to the sale of cigarettes to minors is a worthy cause.

As the doctor, Richard Martin, an ear, nose and throat specialist, said, 435,000 people die each year from diseases associated with cigarette smoking, and three-fourths of longtime smokers begin as teens. It makes sense that educating minors against the dangers of smoking, and making it more difficult for them to obtain cigarettes, would help discourage them from trying something they will be sorry for later in life.

Particularly alarming is disclosure by Martin that two 14-year-olds, including his daughter, were able to buy cigarettes in 24 of 26 stores they recently visited under his direction. Minors previously could buy cigarettes only for their parents, but a recent state law prohibits all sales of cigarettes to minors.

Cape Girardeau City Manager J. Ronald Fischer was probably correct in saying that most merchants who sell cigarettes are unaware of the new law. We agree with Fischer: if they were aware of the stricter law, we doubt the two 14-year-olds would have been able to buy cigarettes in as many stores as they did.

As Fischer suggested, for starters merchants should be made aware of the new law. If no state agency has informed stores of the fact they can no longer sell cigarettes to minors, the state should do so. City and county governments might also take it upon themselves to make sure that merchants in their locales are aware of the change.

Specifically, Martin wants the city council to require merchants to obtain a license to sell cigarettes. If a merchant violates tobacco laws preventing the sale of cigarettes to minors, the merchant would lose his license. Martin also would like for the city to prohibit advertising of cigarettes on billboards and remove cigarette vending machines from businesses other than bars and night clubs, which minors normally do not frequent.

We doubt that prohibiting billboard advertising of cigarettes in Cape Girardeau would have much effect on curtailing sales to minors since cigarette advertising abounds elsewhere. Only through a complete ban of such advertising would its purpose be served, and then only over a period of time.

The surest way for a person to avoid becoming addicted to cigarettes and suffer the health problems associated with smoking is never to try them. If a youngster cannot be convinced not to try them, then making it more difficult for him to obtain them certainly can't hurt. Martin's suggestions of a licensing requirement, with enforcement, and removal of vending machines from most businesses should be seriously considered by the city council.