More than half the cities in San Diego County received a grade of "B" or better in an annual rating of how well they keep tobacco away from youths, the American Lung Association announced Friday.

The 2001 San Diego Youth Tobacco Laws & Policies Report Card gave "A" grades to Oceanside, San Diego, San Marcos and Santee. The ratings were based on "the quality of their tobacco ordinances and enforcement activity" in such categories of sales to minors, banning tobacco stores within 1,000 feet of areas minors frequent and regulation of tobacco ads. Santee showed the most improvement since last year, raising its grade from a "D" to an "A." "I am pleased to welcome the city of Santee to the group of cities providing leadership for the rest of the county," said Molly Bowman of the association's Tobacco-Free Youth Coalition. The County of San Diego and the cities of Carlsbad and Escondido each received a "D." "The report card, we feel, does not completely reflect the county's activities for preventing tobacco use in youth, as well as protecting nonsmokers from second-hand smoke," said Adrienne Yancey, director of the county's Tobacco Control Resource Program. Yancey said that because the report card focuses on ordinances, the county has education and prevention programs that aren't included in the judging criteria.

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