Illustration John Roman

The established cigarette fire safety performance standard is based on ASTM E2187, which requires that no more than 25 percent of 40 cigarettes tested burn their full length when placed on 10 layers of standard filter paper. Photo National Institute of Standards and Technology.

What is a fire safe cigarette?
A fire safe cigarette has a reduced propensity to burn when left unattended. The most common fire safe technology used by cigarette manufacturers is to wrap cigarettes with two or three thin bands of less porous paper that act as «speed bumps» to slow down a burning cigarette. If a fire safe cigarette is left unattended, the burning tobacco will reach one of these speed bumps and self extinguish.

Fire safe cigarettes meet an established cigarette fire safety performance standard, based on ASTM E2187, Standard Test Method for Measuring the Ignition Strength of Cigarettes.

• Read what Philip Morris USA says about fire safe cigarettes, ingredients, and the use of EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer emulsion based adhesive).
• See what R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company says about the ingredients in fire safe cigarettes.

Fire safe cigarettes save lives
The good news is that improved standards for cigarette resistant materials in furniture and mattresses, and public education have all helped cut down the number of fires caused by smoking materials and have saved many lives.

It is also good news that deaths due to cigarette ignited fires are down by 21% from 2003, the latest year before any state implemented a fire safe cigarette law. The latest NFPA report on smoking related fires estimates that the decline will reach 30% by the time data is in from 2011 and every state has fully implemented a fire safe cigarette law.

Electronic cigarettes: a safe way to light up? — mayo clinic

Electronic cigarettes, often called e cigarettes, are battery operated devices designed to look like regular tobacco cigarettes. Like their conventional counterparts, electronic cigarettes contain nicotine. Here’s how they work An atomizer heats a liquid containing nicotine, turning it into a vapor that can be inhaled and creating a vapor cloud that resembles cigarette smoke.

Manufacturers claim that electronic cigarettes are a safe alternative to conventional cigarettes. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has questioned the safety of these products. When the FDA analyzed samples of two popular brands, they found variable amounts of nicotine and traces of toxic chemicals, including known cancer causing substances (carcinogens). This prompted the FDA to issue a warning about potential health risks associated with electronic cigarettes.

Until more is known about the potential risks, the safe play is to say no to electronic cigarettes. If you’re looking for help to stop smoking, there are many FDA approved medications that have been shown to be safe and effective for this purpose.