ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Monday, April 14, 1997                 TAG: 9704140153
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL   PAGE: A-6  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: NEW YORK

POLL FINDS MOST BELIEVE SMOKING IS ADDICTIVE

The overwhelming majority of Americans believe smoking is addictive, and most of them believe that tobacco company executives share that belief, according to a Harris poll.

According to the poll being released today, 90 percent of the public believes smoking causes cancers. Among smokers, 79 percent also believe that, it said.

The nationwide poll of 1,006 adults was conducted March 26 to April 1 by Louis Harris & Associates. Results have a margin of sampling error of 3 percentage points.

Pollsters found that 95 percent of the public, including 92 percent of smokers, believe smoking is addictive. And 92 percent, including 88 percent of smokers, believe the tobacco executives also think that way.

However, the poll found that 40 percent agreed that tobacco is a legal product and that companies should be allowed to sell and advertise as they wish.

-ASSOCIATED PRESS

LENGTH: Short :   30 lines