The Nation : Decline in Smoking Told

A 10-year report on smoking released by the American Cancer Society shows the number of adult smokers in America dropped to 30% this year from 37% in 1976. The percentages of men and women who smoke declined but the actual number of American women who smoke has increased, the report said. In 1976, 42% of American men and 32% of women over age 20 were smokers. By 1985, the percentage for men had dropped to 33%, while the percentage of women smokers dipped to 28%. In the last 10 years the number of teen-age boys who smoke dropped to 16% today from 28%, while the number of teen-age girls dropped to 20.5% from 28.8% in 1976.