|
Safer cigarettes campaign |
|
|
|
A Europe-wide coalition has been formed by campaigners aiming to stamp out fires caused by cigarettes.
Made up of members of the Ukbased RIP Coalition alongside those of the European EU RIP Alliance and others, the group is campaigning for the standardised introduction of ‘fire safer cigarettes’ (also known as reduced ignition propensity, or RIP, cigarettes) in the continent via the European Commission’s European General Product Safety Directive. Unlike normal cigarettes, RIP cigarettes are designed to go out if left unattended via the introduction of slightly thicker paper in their manufacture, thereby reducing the risk of accidental fire. Speaking of the proposed measures, Chairwoman of the European Parliament Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Arlene McCarthy MEP, said: “There is no such thing as a safe cigarette. Certainly, cigarette free homes would make for more effective fire prevention. However, we emphasise that reduced ignition propensity cigarettes are safer than cigarettes currently sold in Europe and represent an effective, low cost, almost selfregulating approach to reduce fires and fire deaths in Europe.” Chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority Val Shawcross said: “Every week cigarettes cause 250 fires in European homes, needlessly killing smokers and non-smokers alike, causing horrifying injuries and putting firefighters’ lives at risk. All that stands between life and pointless death is two wafer thin bands of paper. That is why this Alliance will not rest until the law requires tobacco manufacturers to provide the people of Europe with the same protection from cigarette fires they now get in other parts of the world.”According to figures released by the coalition, smoking materials are the biggest cause of fire deaths in UK homes, with 82 deaths and over 1,000 injuries in 2005 alone.See pg 46 for London Commisioner Sir Ken Knight’s thoughts on RIP cigarettes.
|
