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Many Fires Caused by Cigarettes

Click to see original imageHeadlines telling of destructive fires are all too common – and Sen. John Heinz, R-Pa., says nearly one-third of the residential fires are caused by smoldering cigarettes. Weary of what he calls foot-dragging by the tobacco industry, Heinz introduced a bill, prior to the congressional adjournment, to spur development of a self-extinguishing cigarette to improve smoking safety. “Every day, an average of 16 people are maimed, burned beyond recognition, or killed by cigarette-caused fires,” the Pennsylvania lawmaker said at that time. Just recently in Chicago, a disastrous rooming house fire started in an apartment where a resident was smoking. Three persons were killed and 26 were injured, four of them critically. About 75, many of them elderly or disabled, had to be evacuated down ladders or fire escapes in snowy weather. Sens. Alan Cranston. D-Calif., and John Danforth, R-Mo., are cosponsors of the Heinz legislation, which would establish a federal task force for a two-year study on the technical and economic feasibility of a cigarette that goes out within a few minutes when not puffed. Some brands, it is claimed, presently can burn for up to 40 minutes when set down. Three bills already are before the House of Representatives, calling for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to set standards for improved fire safety in cigarettes. They currently are stalled in the legislative process. News reports say the tobacco industry opposes the measures. The consumer commission praised the Heinz proposal. The T0bacco Institute, an industry trade group, indicated it supports the objective of “studying the serious problem of accidental fires,” but voiced concerns that the study would be confined to cigarette-caused fires. Heinz noted that three brands already extinguish themselves within a few minutes. It some companies are able to approach the desired standards now, it would seem the proposed study could be accomplished in much less than two years – but this is something Congress will have to debate. The importance of the safety issue suggests that the lawmakers give it a reasonably high priority when they reconvene in January. In shaping their program, they should ascertain precisely what plans the tobacco people have for improved smoking safety and on what time schedule. Taking a cue from the institute, Congress may also wish to consider expanding the study beyond cigarette-caused fires, whether now or as part of a long-range plan. In any case, the public has an important stake in this issue. Concerned citizens may wish to express themselves to their representatives in Congress,