Survey: Cigarette use starts young
Milwaukee (AP 8/17/95)

Nearly 10% of WI children in 6-th grade smoke cigarettes, and the figure swells to 33% by the time they are HS juniors, a study report says.

"Each day, 120 WI children take their first puff of smoke," Michael Fiore, director of the University of WI medical college's tobacco research center, said.

The center's study report was released Wednesday, a week after President Clinton recommended giving the U.S. FDA more authority to regulate cigarettes.

Cigarettes are readily available, Fiore said. Children ages 12 to 17 were able to buy them most of the time during spot checks in 7 WI communities during the last 2 years, he said.

The report recommends tougher laws against sales to minors, frequent inspections of tobacco vendors by police to ensure that minors are not purchasing tobacco, and giving local health departments authority over the sale of tobacco products.