MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2005 (HealthDayNews) -- Fires caused by smoldering cigarettes kill more than 800 people each year in the United States, and are the leading cause of fire deaths in the country.
While safer, self-extinguishing cigarettes are sold in New York state, they're not being sold throughout the United States, says a Harvard School of Public Health study. U.S. cigarette manufacturers made the safer cigarettes to comply with a New York safety standard that took effect in June 2004.
If the self-extinguishing cigarettes were sold throughout the United States, it would reduce the number of people killed in fires caused by cigarettes, the study said.
The researchers compared cigarettes sold in New York to the same brands sold in California and Massachusetts. They found that New York cigarettes were far less likely to burn to the end than the same brands sold in the other states.
"Our research found that Massachusetts and California cigarettes were far more likely to ignite fires than the same brands sold in New York," study author Greg N. Connolly said in a prepared statement.
"New York smokers have accepted 'fire safer' brands, and they were found to be no more costly or toxic than those sold in the other states. All states should adopt the New York standard to prevent needless death and suffering from fires caused by burning cigarettes," Connolly said.
The findings are to be presented Jan. 24 at a Harvard School of Public Health symposium in Boston.
More information
The U.S. Fire Administration offers these home fire safety tips.
