Health Association Conference and learned that if a person smokes three cigarettes that person will become an addicted smoker. One out of three smokers will die as a result of the habit! Ms Baillie said: "It is important for young people to be connected to their family and school. This results in lower rates of "at risk behaviour''. Kids who like school are less prone to smoking.

"The primary target age in children beginning smoking is age 7 to 10.

American statistics show that 3,300 teens begin smoking every day. Addiction to cigarettes frequently leads to other forms of drug addiction.'' Cigarettes are highly addictive. One-third of young people who are just "experimenting'' end up being addicted by the time they are 20.

Cigarette smoking is perhaps the most devastating preventable cause of disease and premature death according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Nearly 50 million Americans smoke, with as many as one in five teenagers as regular smokers, resulting in nearly 450,000 deaths each year.

Smoking is particularly dangerous for teens because their bodies are still developing and changing and the 4,000 chemicals (including 200 known poisions) in cigarette smoke can adversely affcts this process.

Cigarette smoking is perhaps the most devastating preventable cause of disease and premature death.

Cigarettes are also highly addictive, both mentally and physically, and can serve as a major gateway to other forms of drug addiction. Adolescent cigarette smokers are 100 times more likely to smoke marijuana and are more likely to use other illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin in the future.

Another culprit is chewing tobacco. Nearly one in five high school males in the US use chewing tobacco. Continuous intake of this leads to cancers and a whole host of other diseases.

Betsy Baillie DRUGS DGS