STUDY TIES QUITTING SMOKING TO PRICE INCREASE

ATLANTA - Government researchers say one of every eight U.S. smokers would
quit or cut back if the price of cigarettes rose 50 percent - and young
minorities would be most likely to break the habit.

In addition to the 3.5 million people who would quit smoking, 2.4 million of
the nation's 47 million smokers would cut back, according to a study
released yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If the price rose 25 percent, one of every 16 smokers would quit or cut
back, the CDC said.

In June, the Senate killed an anti-smoking bill that would have raised the
price per pack, now at an average $1.95 nationwide, by $1.10. Democrats plan
to revive the issue.

"The tobacco industry in particular tried to make the case that increasing
the price would be harmful to minority groups and low-income groups . . .
but just the opposite is true," said Michael Eriksen, director of the CDC's
Office of Smoking and Health.

Eighty-one of every 100,000 black men die of lung cancer, compared with 25
of every 100,000 Hispanic men and 54 of every 100,000 white men.

The tobacco industry's $40 million ad campaign focused on the economic harm
of tobacco taxes, not health issues, countered industry spokesman Scott
Williams, adding that the campaign didn't target minorities.

"The nation has rejected excise taxes as a means of solving public-health
problems," Williams said.

The CDC surveyed adults for 14 years for the study.

Ninety-five percent of Hispanics would quit or cut back if prices rose 50
percent, compared with 16 percent of blacks and just 2 percent of whites.

Twenty-nine percent of smokers between the ages of 18 and 24 would quit or
cut back, compared with 21 percent of those 25 to 39 and 5 percent of those
at least 40 years old.

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett