seeking to buy packages of cigarettes, editors here at The Royal Gazette fully expected him to be challenged. We really wanted to see who did and who did not challenge him. He was instructed to try to avoid vending machines because that would be too easy, but to seek out places where he actually had to ask for the packages of cigarettes. Everywhere he went, more than 20 places, he was successful. Not one person challenged him, despite the fact that some had to get the cigarettes from under the counter.

We carefully spread the purchases over Bermuda and purposely included a wide range of establishments and a variety of stores from supermarkets, to pharmacies to liquor stores.

It is illegal to sell cigarettes to young people under 16. The maximum penalty for the offence is six months imprisonment and/or a $2,880 fine. But it is a good defence to prove that there was reasonable cause to believe that the purchaser was 16 or older. "Good defence'' does not seem to us to be just taking a look at the young person but asking for proof. If false identification is provided by a young purchaser then that might well be a "good defence''. In this case the young reporter was not asked for any form of identification.

There has been some debate in this newspaper's office about how old he looks, with most people feeling that they would question whether or not he is 16. The tobacco sellers did not do that. The fact is that this bright and enterprising young student could hardly be taken by anyone as the Marlboro Man even though most of the cigarettes he bought were Marlboro Lights.

What concerns us is the lack of care which seems to have been taken in selling the cigarettes. If about half the sellers had questioned our young reporter, we would feel that at least some people cared. If even one had sent him out the door there might be hope. But that did not happen.

After the purchases were made, most of the stores were busy saying: "We don't do that.'' "No I.D. No cigarettes.'' "There are strict instructions not to sell to anyone under age.'' "If they don't come on a bike, we ask for I.D.'' But they did do it and they did it without questions being asked. Bermuda likes to say that it is a caring country and that our young people are our greatest asset. Then why are we ignoring a law which is there for the protection of young people? This is not a silly law because it has a real function in protecting the health of young men and women.