The Associated Press

PHOENIX € Chances are good the next person you see lighting up a cigarette will be a woman.

A survey released yesterday by the Arizona Department of Health Services said for the first time in the survey's 11-year history, the percentage of women smokers was greater than the percentage of men who smoked.

The survey, which covered 1994, said 24.7 percent of all adult women said they smoked, compared to 21.2 percent for all adult men. The previous high for women was 24.4 percent in 1986 and 1989. Overall, 23 percent of the 1,907 adults surveyed said they were smokers, up from 20.7 percent in 1993.

No one really knows why more women are smoking, said Scott Leischow, director of the Arizona Program for Nicotine and Tobacco Research at the University of Arizona.

''One idea is that tobacco use does suppress weight, and we know that women are more concerned than men about weight gain when they quit smoking,'' Leischow said. ''When you've got an average weight gain of five to 10 pounds, that's not a small amount. We are talking a dress size for many people.''

The numbers of women who smoke began increasing in the 1940s and 1950s as more women began working outside the home, he said.

''Probably as much as anything it's a reflection of exposure to other smokers,'' he said.

The survey also showed that 33.5 percent of all young adults ages 18 to 24 were smokers in 1994, nearly double the 17.1 percent rate posted in 1993 by that age group. The survey's previous high mark was in 1991 with 25.6 percent.

''These alarming figures underscore the critical importance of our aggressive campaign to convince children, teen-agers and pregnant women to stay away from tobacco, the nation's No. 1 killer,'' said Jack Dillenberg, director of ADHS.

Leischow said it was easier to explain the reasons young people start smoking and continue the habit € despite being repeatedly told how dangerous it is.

''It's one thing for kids to hear that smoking is harmful. It's a whole other thing for them to actually believe it's harmful, or especially that it will be harmful to them.

''Young people don't understand what addiction means. It's a general belief that they won't be addicted. They think they will smoke for a while, and then quit,'' he said.

Media portrayals of smoking as ''cool'' don't help.

''One of the top movies out today, 'Broken Arrow'' the advertisements have this hot actor John Travolta puffing away on a cigarette,'' Leischow said. ''And there's the rebelliousness of it. Smoking is seen as the thing not to do, so for those kids feeling rebellious, it's the thing to do.''

Other survey findings:

¯Alcohol use. Chronic drinking was reported by 2.9 percent of the people surveyed. Binge drinking was reported by 12.2 percent of the respondents.

¯Fruit and vegetable consumption. 76.4 percent of the people surveyed said they didn't eat five servings of fruit and vegetables daily.

¯Obesity. About 23 percent of all respondents said they were overweight.

¯Seat belts. 76.5 percent of the people said they regularly use their seat belts.