Self-extinguishing cigarettes could be coming to Illinois soon.
If Gov. Rod Blagojevich signs new legislation into law, all cigarettes sold in the state will have the ability to put themselves out if left unattended. The law would go into effect Jan. 1, 2008.
The legislation, called the Cigarette Fire Safety Act, was introduced by Sen. Bill Haine, D-Alton, in response to the number of fires, deaths and injuries caused annually by unattended cigarettes.
The General Assembly passed the measure in April. Blagojevich has yet to sign the act into law.
"The bill is in the review process," said Blagojevich spokesman Gerardo Cardenas.
Cigarettes are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States, causing about 700 to 900 deaths a year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
"They (unattended cigarettes) not only kill smokers but innocent victims like family, friends and neighbors as well," said Lorraine Carli, a spokesman for the National Fire Protection Association. "By implementing fire-safe cigarettes, it can make a significant reduction in the amount of people that die in fires each year."
The "fire safe," or self-extinguishing cigarettes, have " two or three thin bands of less-porous paper that act as 'speed bumps' to slow down a burning cigarette" and will extinguish about 75 percent of all unattended cigarettes, Carli said.
New York has had fire-safe cigarettes since June 2004. Other states have begun to follow suit. Beginning in May, all cigarettes sold in Vermont will have to be fire-safe. In California, all cigarettes will have to be fire-safe by Jan. 1, 2007.
Fairview Heights Discount Cigarette store owner Greg Macki said he was concerned that fire-safe cigarettes could change the taste of the cigarettes, which in turn could cause a consumer backlash.
Macki also raised concerns that the new fire-safe cigarettes could cause prices to go up. He said overall volume has dropped because of recent price increases. "People are buying less cartons and buying more packs," Macki said. "It shows people are smoking less and making their cigarettes last longer."
New York Convenience Store Association President Jim Calvin said the state's transition to the fire-safe cigarettes has gone smoothly, and that "consumer acceptance has been much broader than expected."
He said although there have been cigarette price increases, they have not been tied to the fire-safe production costs. He also said consumers have not complained about the taste.
However, Calvin said it's too early to tell if the fire-safe cigarettes are really working to reduce the number of fire-related deaths a year. He also said the current legislation does not address people who buy non-regulated cigarettes out of New York.
"Smoking-related deaths are still happening at a high-frequency in New York state," Calvin said. "People are buying cigarettes outside of the state to avoid paying a higher cigarette tax, and they are also buying online."
Contact reporter Aliana Ramos at [email protected] or 239-2507.
