Cigarettes sold in Indiana will be fire safe
Hoosier smokers may notice their cigarettes burning a bit differently next month.
That’s because starting July 1, a new law will require that all cigarettes sold in Indiana be “fire safe.”
Unlike traditional cigarettes, the new fire-safe smokes will burn out more quickly when left unattended and are designed to cut down on the number of smoking-related fires.
“The cigarettes are made from the same blend of tobacco as regular cigarettes,” said Indiana State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson. “The only difference to the consumer is they need to puff it more often or relight it.”
According to the National Fire Incident Reporting System, 138 smoking-related fires occurred in Indiana in 2008, causing four deaths and 11 injuries while racking up $3.4 million in property damage. Cigarette-ignited fires are the leading cause of home fire deaths in the United States, killing 700 to 900 people annually, according to the National Fire Protection Agency.
Lafayette fire prevention Chief Ron Ritchey said the redesigned cigarettes will help prevent smoking-related fires.
“We don’t see a lot of these fires locally, but we’re really happy about the change,” he said. “There are a multitude of factors that cut down on cigarette house fires, like flame-resistant mattresses. We’re getting smarter about this problem and tackling it from all angles.”
Sarah Parish, manager of Just Smokes in Lafayette, said many smoke shops in the area are already fully stocked with the new packs.
“As of June 1, all of our cigarettes were fire safe,” she said. “Customers don’t like that they go out on them, but otherwise we haven’t had many complaints.”
Parish added that the fire-safe packs sell for the same price as traditional cigarettes, and the changes will not be applied to self-rolling materials.
Jess Brewer of Lafayette recently traveled to Kentucky, where the new law was implemented in April 2008. She said her first encounter with the fire-safe smokes was not good.
“Since coming back from Kentucky about a week ago, I’ve been coughing constantly and having chest pains because you have to inhale harder on the new cigarettes,” she said. The new design forces a smoker to inhale to get the flame through two strips of paper incorporated into the cigarette. If left unattended, the cigarette will go out.
“I’m totally against the change,” Brewer said. “What’s the point of making safer cigarettes if they lead to negative health effects?”
Brandon Grimes of Lafayette said he thinks the mandate will have a bigger effect on the number of smokers when compared to the number of house fires.
“If it causes too much of a hassle, it could lead to less smokers in the long run,” he said. “If it increases the overall health of people, then it could be a change for the better. It might make it easier for me to quit.”
Lafayette resident Michelle Griesi said while she isn’t fond of how the new cigarettes work, she understands why the change is being made.
“I’m sure it might be a pain to have to relight over and over again, but it’s more important that people are safe,” Griesi said Wednesday between puffs during her smoke break. “If the change has an effect on flavor or health, then I might have a problem with them.”
