New Texas State Law: Cigarettes Must Be Fire-Safe

As of Jan. 1, 2009 all cigarettes sold in Texas must extinguish themselves if dropped of set aside.

If smokers won't put out their cigarettes, a new state law will do it for them," said writer Aman Batheja (http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/169382.html). "Starting in 2009, all cigarettes will have to meet 'fire-safe' standards."

According to research, cigarettes are the top cause of fatal home fires in the country and the change could lead to fewer cigarette-related fire deaths in Texas.

Fire-safe cigarettes will be wrapped in two or three pieces of ultra thin banded paper, making them more likely to go out if not smoked for a few minutes, states Batheja.

The new law will not increase the cost of cigarettes, he wrote.

Three years ago New York became the first state to require fire-safe cigarettes and Vermont soon followed suit, writes Batheja.

Legislators couldn't agree to ban smoking in public places this session.

Similar legislation regarding fire-safe cigarettes is pending in 15 other states including North Carolina.

"It seems like a reasonable enough thing to me," says Charles Kuffner.

The nationwide sweep of fire-safe cigarettes has reached all the way to Alaska. That state's governor is the 15th one this year and 21st overall to make it a law mandating them. Alaska has the sixth highest smoking rate in the country, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NFPA stated in a press release that nearly half of U.S. residents live in states where laws requiring fire safe cigarettes have passed or are in effect.(http://www.nfpa.org/newsReleaseDetails.asp?categoryID=488&itemID=35278). The release said that between 700 and 900 people die annually as a result of cigarette-related fires. The Coalition for Fire Safe Cigarettes, established last year is made up of medical and public health personnel, the elderly,fire service members, advocates, and the disabled among others.