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Reynolds American Inc Announces Product-Wide Switch to "Fire-Safe" Cigarettes
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company recently announced that it will manufacture all of its cigarette brands using “fire-safe” technology, a move applauded by the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes, of which the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is a member.
Cigarette-ignited fires are the leading cause of residential fire deaths. Each year in the U.S., 700 to 900 people die in cigarette-ignited fires. One quarter of those people killed – often including children and the elderly – are not the smoker. “Fire-safe” cigarettes are designed to self-extinguish if dropped or left unattended, reducing the chance of starting a fire. They are less likely to ignite clothing, bedding, or other material.
“Fire-safe cigarettes save lives,” said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. “While I am glad this step has finally been taken by R.J. Reynolds, all cigarette manufacturers should be producing only fire-safe cigarettes. We urge manufacturers to switch to this technology and we continue our campaign to encourage states to pass laws requiring these standards.”
Since its launch in March 2006 by the National Fire Protection Association, the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes has called for cigarette manufacturers to produce and market only cigarettes that adhere to established cigarette fire safety performance standards. The Coalition is also working to see that these standards for fire-safe cigarettes are required in every state in the country. To date, 22 states have passed fire-safe cigarette laws.
The Coalition includes fire service members; medical and public health practitioners; advocates for consumers, the elderly, and people with disabilities; and other groups. For more information, visit www.firesafecigarettes.org.
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