HARRISBURG -- Advocates at the state Capitol preached yesterday about the dangers of two widely used substances -- tobacco and alcohol.

Groups of high school and college students placed what they said were 20,000 pairs of old shoes on the Capitol's sloping front steps.

The shoes represented the 20,000 adult Pennsylvanians who die every year from tobacco use, either smoking or chewing, said Jay Murray, a consultant from Creehan & Co., working with Clarion University of Pennsylvania on the event, called Youth Quest.

He said the students were trying to bring attention to the dangers of tobacco consumption and decrease its usage, especially by young people. The college and high school students involved in yesterday's shoe demonstration "don't smoke and won't smoke," he said.

Most of the shoes had belonged to the students' relatives or friends who died as the result of tobacco use. They will be given to Goodwill, he said.

After some speeches at noon, the students invaded the Capitol to talk to legislators about approving the Clean Indoor Air Act, which would ban smoking in Pennsylvania bars and restaurants. Mr. Murray said California has approved such a law.

Many Pennsylvania tavern owners oppose such an indoor smoking ban because a lot of their customers like to smoke when having alcoholic beverages. They fear that banning smoking could hurt their bar business.

Separately yesterday, liquor industry lobbyists held their own news conference to show support for most measures in a package of 14 bills aimed at curbing underage drinking.

"The majority of people use alcohol responsibly and reasonably, but we certainly recognize that there is the potential for misuse," said Stan Tretiak, a manager of state government affairs for Coors Brewing Co.

Lawmakers said the industry's support is welcome.

"It makes it a lot easier to get bills through the House and Senate because of [industry] lobbying efforts," said state Rep. Robert C. Donatucci, D-Delaware, co-chairman of the House Liquor Control Committee.

The bills would toughen penalties for adults who drive drunk with children in the car, revoke driver's licenses of adults who provide alcohol to minors and ban the use of "alcohol-without-liquid machines," which provide inhalable alcohol.