Press release: Firefighters Back MP’S Call For Safer Cigarettes
The Fire Brigades Union threw its weight behind the early day motion calling on the government to legislate for fire safety in cigarette design, which was tabled today by Andrew Dismore MP.
“This simple piece of legislation could save 100 lives every year” said FBU assistant general secretary Andy Dark. “Cigarette fires are the biggest cause of fire-related deaths in the home. In 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 82 deaths, 1,064 injuries and 3,000 fires per year in accidental home fires were caused by smoking materials, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government. Every three days someone dies in a fire caused by a cigarette. Safer cigarettes will not eliminate the danger, but will decrease it by ensuring that cigarettes go out if left burning.”
Mr Dismore’s Early Day Motion is:
“That this House welcomes the Finnish government’s call for the UK and the European Union to legislate for fire safety standards in cigarettes; remains concerned that every three days in the UK someone dies in a house fire caused by a cigarette; recalls that in the last year for which there are statistics, 2005, 82 deaths, 1,064 injuries and 3,000 fires were caused by smoking materials in the home; observes that reduced ignition propensity, or fire safer, cigarettes utilise ultra thin concentric bands in the cigarette paper to restrict oxygen to the burning end of the cigarette; regards fire safer cigarettes as an appropriate response to the persistent fire safety threat posed by conventional cigarettes; congratulates the RIP Coalition and the Fire Brigades Union for their existing work on fire safer cigarettes; and calls upon the government to take action to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and properties damaged from cigarettes through legislation on fire safety in cigarette design.”
***ENDS***
Contact:
Francis Beckett:- 020 8349 9194 – 07813 001372
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