For Immediate Release

House Passes Legislation to Reduce Cigarette-Ignited Fires and Save Lives

(Boston)  State Rep. John Fresolo (D-Worcester) announced today that the House of Representatives has unanimously passed legislation requiring tobacco companies to produce and sell only fire-safe cigarettes in Massachusetts.

Cigarette-ignited fires are the leading cause of home fire deaths in Massachusetts and result in thousands of devastating burn and lung injuries as well as millions of dollars in property damages every year.  Fire-safe cigarettes, or self-extinguishing cigarettes, are made with special paper containing “speed bumps” that slow down and extinguish a cigarette’s burn if the smoker is not actively puffing on it.  They are less likely to start fires than regular cigarettes.

“Too many fires have been started by unattended cigarettes and too many lives have been lost as a result,” said Rep. Fresolo.  “Self-extinguishing cigarettes will help reduce the risk of fire and injury for smokers, their families, their neighbors and our local firefighters.  This legislation proposes a long overdue solution to a critical public safety threat.”

Under the bill, all cigarettes sold or offered in Massachusetts must be tested to meet the American Society of Testing and Materials standard for cigarette ignition propensity.  Studies have shown that cigarettes meeting this performance standard are 90% more likely to self-extinguish than conventional cigarettes. New York, California, Vermont, Illinois and New Hampshire have passed similar measures.