JRM>>  Second...blaming cigarette companies for teen-age smoking
JRM>>  is like blaming hot fudge sundaes for fat people.
JRM>>  Teenagers have a choice...no one forces them to begin a
JRM>>  potentially lethal habit.
 RT> While I can't disagree totally with you, it is a fact that
 RT> cigarette companies DO tailor some of their advertising to
 RT> target teens and preteens.
I agree that tobacco companies target younger people in their advertising
just as automobile companies target certain ages and classes of people.
If I had an accident in my Mercury Sable, for which I feel I was a target for
advertising, I couldn't hardly blame the manufacturer.
Advertising itself can't be made to shoulder the burden. Advertising a
product is a big part of the "Free Enterprise" system we have. Advertising
is simply a suggestion. If a child falls prey to a "suggestion" to smoke I 
hate
to think what the rest of their life is going to be like. Not ALL teenagers 
smoke
and I believe that  a teen following the advertiser's suggestion to smoke
indicates poor judgement, weakness and ignorance. It is up to parents to
provide the information that smoking is dangerous and possibly lethal.
JRM>> If todays young people would learn to take resposibility for
JRM>> their own actions instead of playing the "victim" they would find
JRM>> this to be a much better world to live in in their future.
 RT> I've taught this to my kids and thus far (18 and 16) they are
 RT> not users of tobacco or alcohol.  When and if they decide to
 RT> do so, they will both be aware that the responsibility is on
 RT> THEIR shoulders.
Good for you!
I totally agree and have taught my children the same
thing (21 and 7).
Thanks for your response.
---
---------------