Young men smoke more cigars

BOSTON -- Young men in Massachusetts, apparently swayed by glamorous images
of cigar-smoking supermodels and movie tough guys, are lighting up cigars in
increasing numbers, state public health officials said yesterday.

The Department of Public Health reported that cigar smoking among men 18 to
24 has increased nearly tenfold during the past four years. Cigar smoking
among men 25 to 44 has doubled during that same time.

The statistics were released as health officials announced plans to require
warning labels on cigars that detail each cigar's level of nicotine, carbon
monoxide and tar.

The state of California already requires a warning. The Massachusetts
proposal to have a warning plus information on levels of nicotine and other
substances is a first in the nation, officials said.

Contrary to some people's belief, "cigars are not a safe alternative to
cigarettes," said Public Health Commissioner Howard Koh.

Norman Sharp, president of the Cigar Association of America, which
represents cigar manufacturers and importers, said that more than 96 percent
of cigars sold in the United States already carry the California warning
label.

"When more states mandate their own individual warning requirements it makes
it impossible for manufacturers to conduct business. There's serious
interstate commerce concerns," he said.

He also questioned whether there were any accepted testing procedures that
produce "consistent, reliable and reproducible results that give any useful
information to a consumer."

The department is to hold hearings in May and decide on the labeling
regulations by the end of the summer. The regulations, which don't need
legislative approval, could be in effect by year's end.

Attorney General Scott Harshbarger earlier this month announced a separate
regulatory effort under the state's consumer protection law to require
warning labels on cigars.

The health department's surveys found cigar smoking among Massachusetts men
18 to 24 increasing from 3.9 percent in 1993 to 35.2 percent in 1997. Among
men 25 to 44, cigar smoking doubled from 8.7 percent to 16.5 percent.

More than 55 percent of men 18 to 24 reported having at least tried a cigar
in the past year.

Overall, the percentage of men smoking cigars rose from 7.5 percent in 1993
to 11.9 percent in 1997. Only 1 percent of women smoked cigars in 1993 and
that number remained about the same, 0.9 percent, in 1997.

Anti-tobacco activists say the rise can be blamed on images of cigar smoking
in the media. In one film survey by the American Lung Association actors
lighted cigars in 51 of 133 movies with a box office draw of more than 5
million.

Federal regulators are also looking into whether there is a need for
federally mandated warning labels.

The National Cancer Institute issued a study Friday contending that smoking
cigars can be just as deadly as smoking cigarettes. The report said cigar
smokers may inhale less smoke than cigarette smokers, but cigars contain up
to 90 times as much of some carcinogenic elements as cigarettes.

Efforts to crack down on cigar smoking come as the state defends its
cigarette ingredient disclosure law in court. The state is also suing the
industry for the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses.