FIRE SAFE CIGARETTES
(Reduced Ignition Propensity)

3/6/09 - CIGARETTE TESTING RE-CERTIFICATION APPROVAL PROCESS 5/1/09

Act 68 passed by the 2005-2006 Vermont General Assembly now requires all cigarettes sold or offered for sale in Vermont to meet the same criteria for fire-safe (reduced ignition propensity) cigarettes as in New York State. This new law is expected to significantly reduce the number of people killed or injured by fire in Vermont.

The new law is designed to limit the risk that cigarettes will ignite upholstered furniture, mattresses, household furnishings or other combustible material and result in fewer fire deaths, injuries and property loss from fires caused by cigarettes. Smoking materials were the leading cause of fire deaths in Vermont (1995-2004) with 25% of the fire deaths. This is similar to the national average for fire deaths from smoking materials that varies between 22% and 26% according to statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Smoking materials were the third leading cause of fire related injuries nationwide.

The newly designed cigarettes are designed to stop burning when left unattended, but otherwise they have the same characteristics as other cigarettes.

In addition to Vermont, all the states adjoining Vermont, and Canada, now have laws requiring fire safe cigarettes that will be in effect by 2008.

For additional information contact Assistant State Fire Marshal Robert Howe at 802.479.7566 or rhowe@dps.state.vt.us.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Act 68
• Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes web site
• Package Marking Approval Process
• Certification of Cigarettes
• Fire-Safe Cigarettes - Brands certified as fire-safe and legal for sale in Vermont effective May 1, 2006.
  • Supplemental Information Regarding the Listing of Cigarettes Approved for Sale in Vermont 4/28/06
• 3/6/09 - Cigarette Testing Certification Approval Process - Recertification 5/1/2009
• Harvard Study