European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 23, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes Friday september 23, 1977 teen smokers on Rise studies show fourth in a 10-Day series of articles by staff writer Bob Hoyer almost everywhere tobacco tempts youth. The warning signs Are abundantly Clear. The habit is catching up More and mor Young americans even As fewer adults  study after study it is increasingly apparent that the nation s youth teen age girls in particular Are becoming habitual  from throughout the country indicate that smoking among nine to 13-year-Olds is not at All uncommon. A study conducted for the american cancer society showed More than half the girl smokers surveyed started the habit before age 13. Still other surveys indicate the percent age of adult smokers is steadily declining. Worried officials Are at a loss to explain this Paradox. The indifference of adults is cited As cause of adolescent smoking but the habit forming character of tobacco is probably of equal importance in perpetuating the  researchers say that All too frequently Young smokers become old smok ers an indication that the tobacco habit acquired at an Early age is difficult to shake. Unfortunately adult smokers ruefully recalling their own Early bouts with Tobac co Seldom seem to have Impact on Youthful experimenters. For the Young the age old temptation to flirt with danger to act grown up in an adolescent environment seems to outweigh the consequences of debilitating Dis eases which every year strike millions of Middle aged and elderly smokers. From observing the manner in which some children smoke it is obvious they smoke to ape their  Point to the come on of cigarette advertising for taking up the  the pattern of their older Sis ters the increased smoking of teen age girls is generally regarded As an out growth of the lib  the reasons for Youthful experimentation with tobacco health experts cite studies which show casual smoking often leads to a life Long  one report a researcher pointed out that 70 per cent of those who smoked More than a single cigarette during adolescence continued smoking for the next 40 years. In a 1975 study the australian Council nonsmoking and health reported Only 15 per cent of those surveyed managed to avoid regular smoking after smoking More than one cigarette. Despite these and other reports Many youths fail to recognize their vulnerability to  1974 Survey for the department of health education and welfare showed that 60 per cent of . Teens believe it is Safe to Experiment with cigarettes if they quit before smoking becomes a  with Young service personnel and teen smokers at american communities in Europe Bear out the conclusions of the literature on  Blackman 17, a High school senior in Kaiserslautern Germany finds that after four years of smoking she has acquired the cigarette habit. When you re 13 you think it s reall Cool. But right now i realize it s a bad habit and it is hard to . Wiley Gossey 18, troop a 1st so 2nd army Cav regt started cigarettes inthe fourth Grade and now is a confirmed smoker. Despite a chronic cough he smokes two packs of cigarettes a Day. Tim Goessman 18, a 1977 Kaiserslautern High graduate attributes teen smok ing to adolescent behavioural  your freshman to your Junior year anytime anyone of authority tells you to do or not to do anything you usually Dothe opposite he said. Peer pressure has a lot to do with behaviour and this affects attitudes on  began puffing cigarettes to this is a grim reminder that smoking leads to debilitating and deadly Dis eases according to medical authorities. Is Pete Milia smoking no problem in schools smoking is a Back Burner subject at de pendent schools in Europe. School administrators commenting on student involvement in the tobacco habit invariably report no smoking  except for the occasional Maverick who lights up in class this assessment seems to satisfy the curiosity of officials and parents. But beneath the surface smoking can be and often is an emotional Issue that stirs Strong feelings among teachers and students much As it does in society a Large. I while the Rule against smoking in school buildings is generally respected those cig Arette Butts on sidewalks Are a Clear Indi cation that a number of Junior and senior High school students smoke. Tax free cigarette rations of parents and older students ration cards Are available to those 16 and older usually provide sufficient smoking material for younger students. For their part teachers Are divided Over the smoking Issue. Not Only Are they expected to convince students that smoking is bad for the health but their own smok ing is under constant scrutiny. Beginning with the elementary Grad Sand running through Junior and senior High school teachers use a variety of materials films pamphlets and books in health education science and social stud ies courses where the health and social aspects of smoking Are discussed. The manner and method of presenting material is up to individual teachers. School nurses often help out with instruction. Belts Vajen Mannheim High school nurse says it is More effective to stress attitudes toward smoking than to use scare tactics. Students usually give nonsmoking faculty members the Best Marks for get Ting the message across. With smoking now a National health Issue it appears that overseas teachers along with other professionals Are smok ing less than in the past. In Frankfurt or. Jerry Bloom Princi pal of the largest american High school overseas reports just 20 per cent of the 100-member faculty smokes. At Wiesbaden High principal Don Frew says less than a third of 54 teachers  smoking limited to faculty lounges the air often turns Blue and becomes a source of irritation to nonsmokers. At Wiesbaden separate faculty lounges reflect the Small proportion of smokers. The spacious nonsmoker lounge is five times the size of the smoker lounge and Frew says nonsmokers hassle smokers to stay i their own territory. While smoking is tolerated at most faculty meetings smokers generally find themselves on the defensive. When Frank Furt teachers meet nonsmokers sit in the front of the room while smokers sit in thereat. At Mannheim High school principal  Van Zee says meetings Are closed to smoking unless they run More than a hour. In general the smoking policy i schools is the product of local decisions and guidelines put out by the department of defense schools Europe Dodd eur directorate. Dodd eur regulations forbid smok ing in school buildings and the immediate Vicinity schools with open campuses Are unable to enforce the second half of this Rule and discourage smoking in residence Halls except for designated areas where parental permission is  rules urge coaches to strictly enforce a no smoking policy for All ath letes but coaches particularly those who smoke themselves sometimes look theother Way when a Star athlete is caught with a cigarette. Nonsmoker Bloom feels that coaches ought to set a Good example by not smok ing on front of their athletes. When a coach smokes on the sidelines it becomes that much tougher to convince the kids not to smoke Bloom said. At Hanau Germany High school coun Selor Nelson Faddies says one of the difficulties with student use of tobacco is to get parents to understand the serious health risks of smoking. Smoking on school buses is another source of complaints particularly at the High school level. While separate military regulations forbid smoking on school buses policing regulations is often difficult. One of the problems with bus disciplines that parents Don t like bus Drivers Hassl ing their kids Van Zee said. As a result Many Drivers will put up with kids smok ing and with other violations rather than turn them  mimic his older playmates. I started to smoke because i wanted Tobe bad he said. I wanted to act like the big . Michele Kimble 20, a chaplain s assistant in Darmstadt Germany blames her habit on peer pressure. She began smoking at 16 with High school friends and she continues to smoke because All but one of her close service friends smokes. Kimble is convinced that the increase smoking of Young women and girls is due in part to advertising that capitalizes on women s lib. Many of the ads Are obviously pointed to women she said. That line you be come a Long Way baby was a real  doctors cite the role of parents in tolerating or even promoting smok ing among the  at the air Force Hospital in Hahn Ger Many maj. Or Douglas r. Hoenes reads the riot act to parents who let their Young children smoke. I say that a Parent who gives his Youngchild permission to smoke is guilty of child neglect Hoenes said. Such an act should be considered a  it. Col. Martin l. Dresner urologist atthe army Hospital in Frankfurt holds Sim Ilar views about the responsibility of adults in setting an example for the Young. High school kids still Are fed the myth that smoking is somehow Cool Manly and not harmful Dresner  problem of reaching the Young is that far too Many parents and adults smoke and kids imitate their elders. The think it s the smart thing to do. We have to convince the Young that smoking is stupid that it is not acceptable behaviour. Unless we can get to the Young smok ing will continue to take a heavy toll in the loss of life and human  tomorrow military pilots in european How smoking affects them on tobacco use Twenty seven per cent of american High school students in Europe or Nock More than once a week. The figure is taken from an Anonymous study of More than 800 Junior and senior High students i rom throughout dependent schools. The Survey conducted every Spring since 1973 by or. Don Devona coordinator of health education in dependent schools divides smoking into total smoking experience and smoking More than once a week. Smoking percentages of Junior and senior High students at american de pendent schools in Europe total experience any smoking at All grades 10-12year per cent 1973 60 1974 8 1975 38 1976 40 1977 8 grades 7-91973 48 1974 a 1975 .271976 34 1977 20 smoked More than once a wee grades 10-12 1973 28 1974. 19 1975 3 1976 .28 1977 27 grades 7-91973 14 1974 a 1975 " 13 1976. 17 1977  17 a not available