YOUNG SMOKERS BOOST THE NUMBERS IN U.S.

The country is in the midst of one of the most gigantic settlements in the history of the justice system. Tobacco companies will pay out billions of dollars because of the health dangers of cigarette smoking. Yet the number of young people who smoke continues to rise.

Despite years of anti-smoking campaigns, lawsuits and advertising limits, the overall smoking rate has remained nearly the same during the 1990s. Nearly 25 percent of all Americans smoked in 1997. That's about 48 million people.

While the smoking rate has declined for most adult age groups, it has jumped from 24.5 percent to 28.7 percent for 18-to-24-year-olds during the past decade. The Center for Disease Control will fall far below its goal of lowering smoking rates to 15 percent by 2000.

Why are more young people smoking? Is it peer pressure? Do their friends or parents smoke? Is it a matter of rebellion? Does the image of cigarette smoking on television or film impact their decision to light up? Southeast Missouri State University's Community 2000 Prevention Resource Center has come up with an anti-smoking campaign aimed at younger smokers. This campaign emphasizes the costs of smoking in terms of items young people like to buy. One pack of cigarettes a day for one year equates to the cost of 347 video rentals, 80 CDs, 160 movie tickets or 231 combo meals at a fast-food restaurant.

Thursday marks the Great American Smokeout, and opportunity to revisit the health aspects of smoking. The American Cancer Society has planned a number of activities, many appropriately aimed at young people. Programs are scheduled at a number of elementary and secondary schools. Central Junior High students will create "The Wall" Thursday. It will be a large poster filled with names of people the students have known who have died from or are suffering from a smoking-related illness.

Community and government can only do so much to stem the rise of younger smokers. Family and friends have a much greater impact on both attitudes and actions of young people then they may think. Without their solid support, any efforts to help young nicotine addicts will simply go up in smoke.