One of the studies, led by Dr. Steven E. Shive of California State University in Chico, found that most adults who buy cigarettes for minors are friends and family. About one-third are strangers. The study involved 250 college students.

"If we can get these people to realize the harm they are causing to these minors, then we might have less of a problem with it," said Shive. "If students don't smoke before they are 20, there's less probability that they'll ever smoke."

The second study, involving 16,000 Minnesota students in grades 8-10, found that more than 40 percent of the adolescents who smoked had a stranger buy cigarettes for them. Most of the purchases were made at gas stations or convenience stores.

The researchers recommended that anti-smoking programs address the problem. "Clearly, it is urgent that we develop tobacco-control strategies to address this problem," said Vincent Chen of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, who led the second study.

Shive added, "We need to focus more on preventing this problem; there really are no programs that address this. Minors are increasingly getting their cigarettes through having older people buy them."

Both studies were presented at this week's annual meeting of the American Public Health Association.

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