A SMOLDERING CIGARETTE IN A DC9 LAVATORY IS SMELLED OUT BY A FLT ATTENDANT PRIOR TO TKOF. THE SMOKE DETECTOR'S BATTERIES HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. THE RPTRS ALLEGED THAT SMOKE DETECTORS ARE EASY FOR PAX TO DISCONNECT. THE CIGARETTE IS SPRAYED WITH AN EXTINGUISHER AND AFTER SOME ACFT EQUIP ADJUSTMENTS THE FLT CONTINUES.

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ON TAXI OUT; #3 FLT ATTENDANT SMELLED CIGARETTE SMOKE COMING FROM AFT LAVATORY. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED A SMOLDERING CIGARETTE BUTT ON A PILE OF PAPER TOWELS IN THE TRASH CAN. THE FLT ATTENDANT DISCHARGED 1 BURST FROM THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. I WAS SENT BACK TO INSPECT. I BROUGHT THE EXTINGUISHED BUTT TO THE COCKPIT AND SAW ALL FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WERE STILL IN THE GREEN. THE #3 FLT ATTENDANT ALSO FOUND THE SMOKE DETECTOR HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. THE SMOKE DETECTOR WAS RECONNECTED AND WE CONTINUED TAXI AND THE FLT WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE INCIDENT; WE COULD NOT DETERMINE IF ONE OF THE PRESENT PAX OR ONE FROM THE PREVIOUS FLT HAD COMMITTED THE CRIME. THE INDUSTRY NEEDS TO BE AWARE PAX ARE MUCH SMARTER ABOUT DETECTION EQUIP; AND THERE NEEDS TO BE STRONGER MEASURES TAKEN TO PREVENT TAMPERING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 414867: FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE BATTERIES FROM THE SMOKE DETECTOR HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. PAX ARE LEARNING HOW TO 'RIG' THESE SAFEGUARDS TO SATISFY THEIR SMOKING HABIT. HOWEVER; THEY MUST NOT REALIZE THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS. I THINK THE INDUSTRY MUST DEVELOP A MORE EFFECTIVE; HARDER-TO-RIG SMOKE DETECTOR SYS.