The Senate rejected an effort Wednesday to end crop insurance
for tobacco growers and debated whether to boost money for a cam
paign to prevent teenagers from buying cigarettes.

The struggle could foreshadow the contradictory tobacco inter
ests that will compete if the $368 billion settlement of health
related lawsuits against cigarette companies reaches Congress la
ter this year.

"It is almost impossible to explain why the government is sub
sidizing the growth of a product that the government tells people
is dangerous to consume," said Sen. Dick Durbin, DIll., sponsor
of the cropinsurance measure.

The Senate voted 5347 against the amendment to kill tobacco
insurance during debate on a $49.6 billion spending bill for the
Agriculture Department and related agencies for fiscal 1998. The
House was also considering its version of the bill and similar
amendments.