JUDGES SEEK COURT FOR JUVENILE SMOKERS

Salt Lake City Utah judges tired of seeing the same adolescents in trouble
for underage smoking want the state to set up special tobacco courts for
repeat offenders.

Teens would be sent to the proposed tobacco court for their fourth smoking
offense and face the option of completing a rigorous treatment program or
paying a fine of up to $250.

"We would hope that the heavy fines would push them toward education and
cessation," Juvenile Court Judge Joseph Anderson said.

Many underage smoking violations are never prosecuted, officials said.
Young people who do end up before a judge on a tobacco charge are usually
there for other offenses as well, so when it becomes necessary to dismiss
some of the charges, prosecutors usually drop the tobacco offense.

Two separate groups of the state's judges have endorsed a one-year test of
Anderson's plan. The Utah Supreme Court has the final say.