TEEN COUNCIL LEARNS ART OF COMPROMISE

Cape Girardeau's Youth Advisory Council was established in part to be a learning experience for teen-agers interested in the government process. These aspiring leaders seem to be learning some meaningful lessons these days.

The teen council backed down from a controversial measure to make underage possession of tobacco a crime. These teen-agers did the right thing and deserve praise for their actions. It isn't easy to change course. Just ask any governmental body that deals with gray issues every day. But sometimes a change of heart is much more effective than bad legislation.

The teen council has forwarded a tobacco licensing ordinance to the Cape Girardeau City Council without the controversial possession clause. The proposal sets up a series of graduated penalties, including fines and license suspensions, for businesses caught selling tobacco to minors.

There is an apparent need for stricter penalties.

A Cape Girardeau police sting uncovered a dozen local convenience stories that were illegally selling tobacco or alcohol to minors. Three young people, ages 16 and 17, were able to purchase either alcohol or tobacco at 12 of 15 convenience stores. At eight of those locations, the teen-agers bought alcohol.

The ease in which these youths bought alcohol is startling. Continued compliance checks by the police may well be in order.

But these police officers don't need to spend valuable time chasing down teen-agers who are smoking. Such an ordinance would turn many otherwise law-abiding teen-agers into criminals.

Part of the reason the teen council changed its mind about the tobacco ordinance was a petition from 350 students who opposed the possession clause. Many students feel the matter should be left to personal decision and their families.

Parents are really key players in the fight to reduce teen-age smoking. Positive parental role models and guidance can help to curb the problem.

Let's face it. There are those teen-agers who will smoke as an act of rebellion regardless of what their parents say or do. Still, this issue should remain a matter between parent and child, not government and child.