From: Joe@smokefree.org
Date: Wed, 12/24/03
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To urge New York to issue fire-safe cigarette standards, go to
http://www.smokefree.net/fire
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Should Cigarettes Be Fire-Safe?
Each year, cigarette-caused fires kill more than 1,000 civilians, critically
injure more than 3,000 (including many firefighters), and cost victims more than
$400 million in direct property damage, according to the National Fire
Protection Association.
Government requires mattresses, couches, curtains, and carpeting to be
fire-safe. In fact, government requires almost everything to be fire-safe,
except for the product that causes most fatal fires. It's like the Dave Barry
cartoon where two tobacco cartel scientists are watching laboratory rats. One
scientist says to the other, "The rats have rearranged their food pellets to
spell, 'Cigarettes Cause Cancer.' What do you think that could mean?" The
other scientist replies, "I don't know. I guess we'll have to study it some
more."
New York State passed fire-safe cigarette legislation (which requires cigarettes
to go out when left un-puffed) over two years ago. To implement the
legislation, however, Secretary of State Randy Daniels must issue fire-safe
cigarette standards. A spokesman for Mr. Daniels says he is committed to
issuing standards, but he wants to make sure he gets them right. How hard can
it be? One cigarette brand (Merit) currently meets fire-safe standards.
Although the law and the standards would only apply to cigarettes sold in New
York, tobacco manufacturers would likely make them for all states. After all,
how could they explain to juries in burn victim lawsuits why they sell fire-safe
cigarettes in one state but not another?
To urge New York to issue fire-safe cigarette standards, go to
http://www.smokefree.net/fire
To read hundreds of recent news stories about cigarette-cause fires, go to
http://www.tobacco.org/articles/category/fires/
Joseph W. Cherner
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the
world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
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