NC Adopts Fire-safe Cigarette Law

New legislation will require cigarettes sold in North Carolina to be self-extinguishing.

August 26, 2007

ORANGE COUNTY NC NEWS -- New legislation, signed into law by Governor Easley, will require cigarettes sold in North Carolina to be self-extinguishing. "fire-safe" cigarettes have extra bands of paper to stop the burning if it is not regularly puffed on. In addition, twenty-one other states have adopted "fire-safe" cigarette laws.

In an effort to reduce the number of smoking-related fires and home-fire deaths, House Bill 1785, "An act to require cigarette fire safety by adopting a cigarette fire-safety standard" has become law. The new law will go into effect on January 1, 2010. House Bill 1785 passed the state House with very little opposition, 109 to 5. In the state Senate the bill passed unanimously 47 to 0.

The new law requires that all cigarettes sold in North Carolina be self-extinguishing and that it be indicated on the product's packaging. A manufacture that fails to follow the law could be subject to a $100,000 fine. A retailer could face a fine of up to $25,000 for knowingly selling cigarettes that are not self-extinguishing.

The legislation was backed by the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center-UNC HealthCare, the National Fire Protection Association, the N.C. Association of Fire Chiefs, the N.C. State Firemen's Association, the N.C. Fire Marshal's Association and the Wake Forest University Medical Center Burn Center. Primary sponsors of House Bill 1785 were state Representatives:

• Verla Insko, (Dem) of Orange County
• Rick Glazier, (Dem) of Cumberland County
• Tricia Cotham, (Dem) of Mecklenburg County

Cigarette-ignited fires are the leading cause of home fire deaths in the United States, killing 700 to 900 people annually. Between 2001 and 2006 there were 2,916 cigarette-related fires in North Carolina. Advocates say the self-extinguishing cigarettes could save three of every four cigarette-related fire deaths.