Soul, you asked if noone thinks smoking is worse than alcohol (or something along those lines) and I just wanted to say that for me, I know the dangers of smoking and its long term effects on the body as well of those of alcohol. Although I would be willing to "allow" my children to drink before 18 but not smoke, I feel the need to be more "flexible" with alcohol because of the things that could potentially happen under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol has the ability to alter the mind, depress the respiratory and cardiovasuclar systems, and to place the drinker in potentially dangerous situations. By drinking, my child could be drugged, raped, assualted, robbed, fall over and hurt themselves (haven't we all whilst drunk?), drink themselves into stupor etc etc. Smoking has none of these short term dangers - the dangers are more long term. Because of this, I would rather have them drink at home in mine or DH's presence so we can provide a safer environment for their alcohol consumption.

MG