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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Tim Solobay |
  
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Senate passes Solobay fire-safe cigarettes bill
HARRISBURG, June 30 – Legislation crafted by state Rep. Tim Solobay, D-Washington, that could help prevent fires caused by careless smoking was approved by the Senate Monday evening.
House Bill 1612 would require that all cigarettes sold in Pennsylvania meet fire-safe standards as set by the American Society of Testing and Materials.
"Cigarette fires kill approximately 1,000 people, injure another 3,000 and cost Americans more than $6 billion annually," said Solobay, who has served as a volunteer firefighter in Canonsburg for more than 30 years and currently serves as fire chief. "Fire-safe cigarettes go out when left unattended, so this bill will help reduce cigarette-related fires, injuries and deaths in Pennsylvania."
According to the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes, fire-safe cigarettes are made by wrapping the cigarettes with two or three thin bands of less-porous paper that slow down burning. When the burning tobacco of an unattended cigarette reaches one of these less-porous papers, it self-extinguishes.
"Fire-safe cigarettes cut off the burning time before most cigarettes are able to ignite things like furniture or bedding, but that doesn't mean smokers can be careless with their cigarettes," Solobay said. "The best way to prevent cigarette fires is to be responsible with burning tobacco."
Twenty states have passed legislation requiring the sale of fire-safe cigarettes.
Since the Senate amended it, Solobay's bill will return to the House for concurrence. He is hopeful the bill will be agreed to and sent to the governor quickly.
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