LETTERS: YOUTH AND SMOKING

To the editor:

I am responded to the Associated Press article headlined "President to use teens in smoking sting" and the Sept. 24 letter to the editor titled "Government and youth," which implied that President Clinton was implementing a program that used children to misrepresent themselves to businesses in order to entrap and spy.

The inference that children are being taught to do this is totally incorrect. Entrapment isn't used in the compliance checks. In Missouri is it now illegal for minors to possess or purchase tobacco. It is, however, illegal for merchants to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 (Missouri State Statute 407.925-407.932, 1992).

In Missouri, minors are able to purchase cigarettes two out of three times, according to a 1993 report. Results from the Missouri Department of Health's 1994 behavioral risk factor surveillance study show that "one quarter of Missourians do not know about the state law restricting the sale of tobacco products to minors." When children attempt to purchase tobacco, the vendor simply needs to ask the child for an ID. If the child is not of age, then the vendor must not sell.

Too many of Missouri's children with access to purchasing tobacco are smoking. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's 1993-94 survey of school enrollment figures states that 27 percent of Missouri high school seniors smoke and approximately 16 percent of Missouri high school students use spit tobacco.

The proposed operation is multifaceted and begins with compliance checks. These checks may or may no involve law enforcement and are typically use for informational purposes. No misrepresentation is used. Parental permission is obtained for participating youths who are not permitted to try to look older or to lie about their ages.

DEBRA WYATT

Jackson