MARLBORO - WINSTON - L&M - CAMEL - PARLIAMENT - KENT - CLASSIC

That is the day that the American Cancer Society and other organizations encourage smokers to abstain for just one day. The hope is that the one day will be an inspiration to quit altogether.

If you are a friend, relative or colleague of a smoker, you already know that your entreaties to stop likely will fall on deaf ears. Smokers and those around them already know that tobacco use is bad. It's unhealthy; it's dirty; it's smelly; it's socially unacceptable; it's expensive; it's addictive.

No, we're not going to harass, cajole and annoy you one more time with all the horrifying facts and statistics. You've heard it all before.

Instead, we will list those details one more time and ask that you share them with a young person who is not yet addicted to the evil weed.

Tell them smoking is responsible for 30 percent of all cancer deaths. It is the major cause of cancers of the lungs, voice box, oral cavity, throat, esophagus and bladder. Tell them it contributes to cancers of the pancreas, cervix, kidney, stomach and some leukemias.

Tell them that an astounding 90 percent of lung cancer deaths are attributed to smoking. It is one of the most difficult diseases to treat. It is almost entirely avoidable - if you don't smoke.

Tell them that smokers already know where to get help. A good start is www.smokefreesociety.org.

Tell that young nonsmoker that tobacco kills.

Please tell he or she that more than 4,400 kids start to smoke every day. They may think it's sexy, or cool or grown up. It isn't.

Tell them that despite all the warnings and studies, one out of four Americans still smoke. Tell them that nearly 5 million die from tobacco use each year. Tell them you don't want them to become a statistic.

Tell them DON'T SMOKE.