AN MD88 FLIGHT CREW EXPERIENCED SMOKE IN THE AFT CABIN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THEY DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO LAND AT THEIR DEPARTURE AIRPORT.

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ON INITIAL CLBOUT IMMEDIATELY ON GEAR LEVER SELECTED UP; SMOKE WAS SMELLED BY BOTH CAPT AND FO. CAPT CALLED FLT ATTENDANTS WHO RPTED HVY SMOKE SMELL. AS THEY SPOKE; VISIBLE SMOKE FORMED IN AFT AREA OF CABIN; BOTH AFT LAVATORY SMOKE DETECTORS ACTIVATED; AND THE SMOKE THICKENED. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER WITH INTENT TO RETURN TO LAND AND WE TURNED ON A DOWNWIND HDG. THE CAPT TOOK CTL OF ACFT AND RADIOS; SO THE FO COULD RUN THE QRH CHKLIST SMOKE AND FUMES REMOVAL WHICH WAS COMPLETED. THE CABIN WAS DUMPED TO OUR ALT OF 4000 FT MSL. SHORTLY; BASE TURN JUST OUTSIDE THE MARKER AND A CAT I ILS TO LNDG ACCOMPLISHED. THE SMOKE HAD DISSIPATED ON COMPLETION OF THE QRH CHKLIST. WE QUICKLY TAXIED TO THE GATE SO PARAMEDICS COULD ATTEND TO A PAX WHO BOARDED WITH HER OWN OXYGEN. THE SMOKE AND SITUATION SERIOUSLY COMPOUNDED HER BREATHING SITUATION TO ERRATIC. ALL PLAYERS WERE CALM AND PROFESSIONAL FROM THE CAPT'S EXCELLENT DECISION MAKING AND LEADERSHIP; TO THE FLT ATTENDANT'S RESPONSE TO CAPT'S QUESTIONS; TO DEP CTL FOR HANDLING OUR EMER TURN TO DOWNWIND; FIRE TRUCKS; AND PARAMEDICS THAT ME US AT THE GATE. EVEN THE PAX SHOULD GET AN ATTA-BOY. SOME WERE STRESSED A BIT; BUT MOST; IF NOT ALL; WERE THANKFUL TO BE ON GND SAFELY. THE SMOKE HAD BEEN THICK AND ACRID ENOUGH TO REDDEN THE EYES OF PAX IN THE REAR SECTION ALONG WITH THE 2 FLT ATTENDANTS BACK THERE. TOTAL FLT TIME: 12 MINS.