ADVOCATES TRY TO CLEAR THE AIR OF SMOKING

Grandson of R.J. Reynolds warns of the consequences

Each day, 3,000 teen-agers become regular smokers, according to Dr. Antonia Novello, U.S. surgeon general. Patrick Reynolds, founder of the Foundation for a Smoke- Free America, is trying to stop that trend.

"Twenty-six percent of people in our society smoke," Reynolds said. "Smoking is causing 390,000 deaths every year in America."

In addition to the health risks, Reynolds said, "Smoking cigarettes is stupid, absolutely idiotic. . . . It looks stupid and . . . cigarette smoke makes your clothes stink.

"You know what it's like to be around cigarette smokers. Their hair smells bad, their clothes smell bad, they smell bad. You know if you even get around smoke, it can really make you smell bad, too."

Why does Reynolds hate smoking so much, since his grandfather, R.J. Reynolds, founded R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Reynolds' memories of his father are the inspiration for his campaign:

"My father, R.J. Reynolds Jr., died from smoking Camel brands. So I lost my father because of cigarette smoking. He smoked Camels and Winstons, which are two Reynolds brands. And my only memories of him are of a man lying down, gasping for breath, dying from emphysema.

"A little boy needs a man's love and affection. He needs a man's arms around him and a man's hugs and kisses and pats on the back and pats on the butt. I didn't have that because cigarettes took my dad away from me."

Reynolds doesn't want other people to suffer like his father did.

"It's kids who are starting smoking cigarettes, and they're doing it because they want to look older, because they're rebelling against their parents, which is a normal thing to do," he said.

Statistics back up Reynolds' viewpoint. According to a 1987 study by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, nearly 20 percent of teen-agers in the United States smoke cigarettes, and 57 percent of high school seniors who smoke say they began daily smoking by age 14.

Surprisingly, Reynolds used to be a smoker himself.

"I actually got hooked into smoking when I was 18 years old. . . . I wanted to look cool and attract girls and . . . I was angry about having to take on adult responsibilities like a part-time job."

"I stopped (smoking) because nobody likes to be around a smoker."

Reynolds has this advice for teen-agers: "As you grow older, there will be a point at which you separate from your parents and you go out and live in your own house and you have jobs. . . . And a lot of the way that kids individuate themselves from their parents . . . is by taking up cigarette smoking.

"And that's how they express their anger and how they rebel. It would be much better to not start smoking cigarettes and to let your anger come out of your mouth, let your feelings come out of your mouth."

He has set high goals for himself and his project for a smoke-free society.

"I believe that one day we will have a smoke-free society. We've already made tremendous progress in passing laws that limit smoking in public places. We got smoking off of airplanes. We will ban cigarette advertising. We will pass a law which will forbid the sale of cigarettes to anyone under the age of 21 and raise it from the current 18.

"We will succeed in raising taxes on cigarettes, using some of that tax money to educate kids in schools about the dangers of smoking. . . . I think you should set your dreams up in the stars and set your goals as high as you can. And if we don't (have) a smoke-free society by the year 2000, I think we're going to have one one day."

So far, his dream isn't coming true, but step by step he's making progress. Reynolds said while smoking is decreasing at a rate of 2 percent a year in this country, it is increasing around the world.

We asked what keeps him going.

"There's a serenity prayer which is used among adults who are trying to give up an addictive behavior like alcohol or smoking or cocaine and drugs. . . . And that prayer is, `God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, the wisdom to know the difference.'

"I enjoy this work. You know, in life you look for work that gives your life meaning, where you can make a difference. This is a way I can really make a difference."