World Notes $ Cuba

To smoke or not to smoke? For Fidel Castro, that is no longer the question. The Cuban President, who turned 60 last month, gave up his beloved stogies a year ago. Last week he urged others to follow his lead. "I haven't taken a single puff since last Aug. 26," Castro said. "I don't miss it, and I feel better."

Castro's resolve has sparked a nationwide anti-smoking campaign. But the leader may find Cubans, who earn some $100 million a year from tobacco exports, reluctant to stop lighting up. Said one comrade who joined Castro's forces in the 1950s: "I would follow Fidel into battle and die for him, but I'm not giving up smoking cigars."