CLINTON, AIDES DEBATE NEW RULES ON CIGARETTES.(MAIN)

Byline: Washington Post

WASHINGTON President Clinton Monday debated with senior aides two different government strategies for limiting smoking by minors: Allow the Food and Drug Administration to classify tobacco as a drug and impose new regulations, or use the threat of such regulation to extract concessions from the tobacco industry.

Sources described Clinton as leaning toward what the White House describes as the ``voluntary'' option, trying to get the tobacco industry to sign on to a series of steps that would make it harder for minors to buy or obtain cigarettes and would stop promotions aimed at young people.

Among the options Clinton …