Government health officials are seeking a ban on smoking in public places because of the number of teens taking up the habit.

In Afghanistan.

The New York Times mentioned that tidbit in a column this month that noted other international action in the war on smoking. England banned smoking in enclosed pubs, restaurants, offices, shops and transportation. In Bangkok, representatives from 146 countries signed a treaty agreeing to work to protect people from secondhand smoke in public places and work spaces.

In this country, 14 states plus the District of Columbia have passed comprehensive smoke-free legislation for workers, including those in restaurants and bars.

The message that smoking and inhaling secondhand smoke is dangerous is being heard the world over, and no wonder. Here is what the World Health Organization says:

"Tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. It is currently responsible for the death of one in 10 adults worldwide (about 5 million deaths each year). If current smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today -- that is about 650 million people -- will eventually be killed by tobacco."

Yet a majority of Pennsylvania's senators can't hear the message, probably because they are too preoccupied listening to the lobbyists who work on behalf on Big Tobacco.

The state Senate adopted a watered-down version of a ban late last month. Members of the House remedied that by amending the Senate's bill and taking out most of the exceptions. But there weren't enough senators willing to agree to the changes. Then the Senate went home for vacation.

Symptomatic of the wrong attitude was one expressed by Sen. John Wozniak, a Democrat from Johnstown, who believes a Pennsylvania ban will come but who voted against the ban on Monday: "The problem is, how do you craft a bill that is acceptable to all the special interest groups, those for smoking and those against?"

Actually, Senator, the problem is lawmakers who ignore the health ills and costs inflicted by secondhand smoke on everyone and who treat this as just one more bill with dueling lobbyists. It's hard to find a "special interest" higher than the public's health; if the General Assembly believed that, passing a strong smoking ban would be a no-brainer.

Fortunately, Gov. Ed Rendell has vowed to keep pushing for the ban, saying he wants legislators to take it up again when they return for a special session starting Sept. 17.

Until then, Pennsylvanians will continue to be subjected to unnecessary health hazards.