Racine: Glad you asked

Recently The Journal Times of Racine published a question about fire safe cigarettes.

"What chemical are they putting in the fire-safe cigarettes to make them go out? Maybe it'll kill smokers faster than the tobacco does."


The answer is, "It would help if tobacco companies fully disclosed their ingredients, said Maureen Busalacchi, executive director of the nonprofit SmokeFree Wisconsin. Still, enough is known that thin bands of extra paper cause them to burn out, not a chemical.


Mike Moore adds, "Advocates for laws requiring businesses to sell only the fire-safe kind - Wisconsin's law took effect last month - point to a Harvard University study. Researchers found that five of 19 toxic compounds were found in higher levels in fire-safe cigarettes, but the report states nothing suggests "these increases affect the already highly toxic nature of cigarette smoke."

I don't speak Scientist, but I think the translation is "If you don't want to die, don't smoke."

Fire-Safe Cigarettes coming to Wisconsin October 1st

In April of 2008 Governor Doyle signed a bill that will require all cigarettes sold in the state of Wisconsin to be compliant with fire-safe cigarette (FSC) regulations by October 1st of 2009. With that date just around the corner, SFW wanted to remind our readers of this change.

The main organization that is pushing for this type of regulation is the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes. Their mission is to, "work to save lives and prevent injuries and devastation from cigarette-ignited fires." They are primarily supported by the National Fire Protection Association. Many public health, public safety, fire service workers, and consumer rights groups support the efforts of the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes.  (To read more about this group CLICK HERE.)

You might ask... What is a fire-safe cigarette? 
A fire-safe cigarette has a reduced propensity to continue to burn if left unattended. The typical design has two bands that will self-extinguish if the cigarette is left burning in an ashtray for too long.

A few important things to keep in mind:

• Burning cigarettes are a leading cause of home fire fatalities in the United States, killing 700-900 people annually. 
• Mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, and trash are the items most commonly ignited in smoking-material home fires. The risk can be greatly reduced or eliminated with legislation ensuring fire-safe cigarettes are the standard.
  
• FSCs are a growing trend here in the United States and something that Big Tobacco has  willingly responded to. 99.8% of the US population is, or soon will be covered to see the map CLICK HERE.