RESEARCH LINKS TEEN SMOKING, AD DEBUT

CDC Says Joe Camel Is Partly To Blame For 1988-96 Increase

ATLANTA -- The annual number of American youths taking up smoking as a
daily habit jumped 69 percent between Joe Camel's debut in 1988 and
1996, the government said Thursday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said tobacco ads that
rely heavily on giveaways and kid-friendly cartoons were partly to
blame.

More than 1.2 million Americans under 18 started smoking daily in
1996, up from 708,000 in 1988, the CDC estimated.

Rate goes up too

The rate at which teens became smokers also increased, climbing 51
percent. In 1996, 77 of every 1,000 non-smoking teens picked up the
habit. In 1988, the rate was 51 per 1,000.

``It's terrible news,'' said Dr. Gary Giovino, chief epidemiologist
for the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health. ``There's a lot of
important things to consider, which include the increase in tobacco
ads that have a youth focus. The appearance of tobacco smoking in the
media has just skyrocketed lately.''

An R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. official insisted that peer pressure and
smoking parents are what drive most teens to smoke, not advertising.
The industry has said it does not target teenagers with its
advertising.

``It just doesn't make sense to say Joe Camel fueled youth smoking,''
Jan Smith said. ``We have long said that campaign was aimed at adult
smokers, period.''

The study was based on surveys of 78,330 Americans ages 12 to 66
conducted by the CDC between 1994 and 1997. Researchers extrapolated
nationwide estimates from that sample.

Those interviewed were asked if they ever had a daily smoking habit,
and if so, when they started. They were also asked at what age they
took their first puff.

In calculations back to 1965, the CDC estimated that the rate for
beginning smokers peaked in 1977, when 67 of every 1,000 potential
smokers developed a habit. The lowest rate -- 44 per 1,000 -- was in
1983.

Joe Camel debuts

Daily smoking rates began increasing steadily again in 1988, the same
year R2EJ. Reynolds introduced Joe Camel in its advertising for Camel
cigarettes, the CDC said.

``After Joe Camel was introduced, then the promotional-type strategies
kicked in,'' rewarding smokers with coupons and trinkets that
encouraged them to buy more cigarettes, Giovino said. ``A lot of
parents weren't aware of Camel cash and that stuff, but kids were.''

Joe Camel was retired last year, after critics including President
Clinton said the character was a blatant example of cigarette
marketing aimed at children.

The CDC said its survey mirrored previous studies that estimated more
than 3,000 Americans under 18 become habitual smokers each day. The
agency also estimates 32 percent of smokers will die from
smoking-related illnesses.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry