State kicks flaming

butts with law
By Melanie Davis
melanie@highcountrymedia.net

The N.C. General Assembly recently addressed the leading cause of fire deaths in North Carolina. In the last five years there were 2,916 cigarette-related fires in North Carolina.

House Bill 1785, signed into law on Aug. 24, will require all cigarettes sold in the state to be self-extinguishing by 2010. The “fire-safe” cigarettes have extra bands of paper to stop burning if it is not regularly puffed on.

A smoker falling asleep holding a lit cigarette or leaving it burning in an ashtray is one of the most common causes of house fires. Advocates of the legislation say the self-extinguishing cigarettes could prevent three of every four fire deaths.

North Carolina is the 22nd state to pass “fire-safe” cigarette laws.

In New York state, the first to adopt the law, cigarette-related fire deaths dropped from 44 in 2001 to 28 in 2005, the first year after the law is enacted.

“By making the change to self-extinguishing cigarettes, it is estimated that as many as 50 fire-related deaths in our state could be prevented each year in North Carolina,” Gov. Mike Easley said.

Home fires are also a danger to firefighters who enter the structure to retrieve victims. This legislation was backed by the N.C. Association of Fire Chiefs, N.C. State Firemen’s Association and the N.C. Fire Marshal’s Association.

The new law requires the packaging of all cigarettes sold in North Carolina indicate the self-extinguishing factor. A manufacturer that fails to follow the law could by subject to a $100,000 fine. A retailer could face a fine of up to $25,000 for knowingly selling cigarettes that are not “fire-safe.”

The primary sponsors of House Bill 1785 were state Reps. Verla Insko (D-Orange), Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland) and Tricia Cotham (D-Mecklenburg). It passed the state House 109-5 and the state Senate 47-0. It goes into effect Jan. 1, 2010.