Saturday, July 11, 1998; Page A17

In the June 26 edition of the Weekend section, you published a favorable article about a cigar bar called Shelly's Back Room and a large photograph showing three very happy, attractive young women, one of them smoking a cigar and the other identified as s haring the cigar.

I wish to express my concern over your publishing a favorable article about the use of a tobacco product, when it has been scientifically proven and reported in your paper that the use of tobacco causes cancer. Publishing a photo showing smoking is the sa me as publishing an advertisement. I thought your paper did not accept tobacco advertising. This photo sends a clear message to guys: Go to Shelly's, smoke cigars and meet cute girls like these. The message should have been: Go to Shelly's and get cancer .

The tobacco industry seems to have fooled the media into thinking that cigar smoking is the chic thing to do. This simply encourages young people.

-- David Mangurian