KIDS SEND CIGARETTES PACKING

Boothe Dugan, a fifth grade student at Charleston, claims he doesn't know a single person who smokes neither a classmate nor an adult. And he likes it that way.

Would he ever consider taking a puff? "No ma'am," he replies. "It hurts your lungs and turns your teeth yellow and your fingernails yellow.

"Nobody I know smokes. I'm glad about that too."

Organizers of the Smoke-Free Class of 2000 hope Dugan's classmates share his views and will never try a cigarette.

The Smoke-Free Class of 2000 is a national effort to curb smoking. Organizers hope the Class of 2000 will lead the way to a smoke-free nation.

Each year this class makes a pledge to remain smoke-free and celebrates its success with a graduation ceremony. This year's event was held May 12 with special guest Keshia Knight Pulliam. Pulliam, known for her role as Rudy on the Cosby Show, is president of the national Smoke-Free Class of 2000.

The program started locally when youngsters entered Cape Girardeau kindergarten classes. The goal: see them through to graduation in 2000 without one lighting up a cigarette.

This year, Charleston, Leopold Perryville and Scott City were included in graduation ceremonies, bringing the number of children pledging not to smoke to nearly 1,000.

Efforts have focused on education about the dangers of tobacco use and ways to say no.

Fifth-grader Jason Vandeven of Leopold said, "We've signed a pledge to make sure we remain smoke-free, and I think everyone takes it seriously.

"Smoking is bad. It's bad for your health. It might kill you."

Katie Kunz of Alma Schrader said, "Some of the people in our class think it's kind of stupid. I think it's not stupid. You hear so many things about how bad it is for you."

Kunz said that if her friends started smoking, "I would think they were crazy, and I wouldn't play with them or hang around them. What they do influences you."

Fifth-grader Louchrisa Vinson of Charleston believes the extra attention directed at her class ought to convince children not to smoke.

If a friend asked her to smoke, Vinson said, "I'd tell them, `No way, I didn't want my heart to die.' I don't think any of the kids in our school will smoke."

Cindy McCormick's son Kyle is a member of the Smoke-Free Class of 2000 in Cape Girardeau. She also was co-chairman of this year's graduation ceremony.

Mary Hiler, who served as co-chairman with McCormick, said she too became involved because her child, Amanda, is a member of the Smoke-Free Class of 2000.

McCormick said, "If we can start a smoke-free generation, that would be wonderful. By educating this age group, hopefully it will filter down to the younger children. They will look up to these children as role models."

Although the class is smoke-free, McCormick said the education effort includes the dangers of chewing tobacco and second-hand smoke.

The Smoking Coalition of lung, heart and cancer societies nationwide sponsor the effort.

In Cape Girardeau, Vision 2000, St. Francis Medical Center and the SEMO Cancer Coalition are helping support the smoke-free class.

Will it work?

"I hope so," McCormick said. "Right now, as far as this group goes, I would guess we have about a 98 percent success rate."

Hiler said she hopes the program will be successful. "We've been putting a lot of effort into this project," she said. "The children seem to be very accepting."

But organizers admit the tough teen years are approaching.

"That's why I pushed so hard to get this program with Keshia (Knight Pulliam) this year," said Hiler. "I thought they would listen to her and the message she has. Maybe next year they won't."

Ready for the challenge of teenagers, Hiler and McCormick said new plans are in the works.

"We're looking at doing a lock-in next year," Hiler said. "We haven't set a program, but we're already thinking."

McCormick said, "Education is still the key as they get older. Research shows that between the ages of 12 and 14 is when they are most likely to experiment with cigarette products.

"We will have to do some more things to encourage them to remain smoke-free."

Fifth-grader Jessica Porter of Jefferson School has an answer prepared in the event someone tempts her with a cigarette.

"No," she will respond. "I've got a life to live and I don't want to ruin it."

But Porter admits it might be tough to continue saying no.

"Some of the popular kids in school smoke," she said, "so other kids smoke because they want to be like them. They smoke just to be popular and wanted in a crowd."

Fifth-grader Tony Renschen of May Greene said he also knows a classmate who smokes cigarettes.

"But I don't think it's right to smoke," he said. "It's bad for your health and can kill you in the long run. Plus it costs too much."

Renschen said he likes being part of the Smoke-Free Class of 2000. "We get to do a lot of stuff and get out of school," he said.

But with the perks come responsibilities.

"We're supposed to be setting a good example for people since we're the Smoke-Free Class of 2000," he said.