ANTI-SMOKING PROGRAMS WORK IN CALIFORNIA

Californians received good news last week: The lung cancer rate in that state has dropped by 14 percent over the past 10 years.

Officials attribute the decline to tough anti-smoking measures and public-health campaigns.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the lung-cancer rate for the rest of the nation dropped only 2.7 percent over the same period.

Measures taken in California include a 50-cent-per-pack tax on tobacco products. The money is used for anti-smoking education. The state also funds smoking-cessation programs and anti-tobacco advertising.

And it's practically impossible to smoke a cigarette in a public place in California. No doubt that is a motivator for some to quit rather than spend time searching for a place to light up.

Missouri and the rest of the nation would do well to look west when debating anti-smoking ideas.