Of course our political system goes too slowly for these odious people so they went over the political heads of our disemboweled MPs here and went to that font of all wisdom the EU. And as a consequence:
A new safety standard for cigarettes has been agreed in the European Commission and is expected to come into force across Europe in November 2011. London Fire Brigade campaigned for this change, which should reduce the number of fires started by smoking materials.
The London Fire Brigade, amongst others have been pushing so hard they have got their way and as from November this year *ALL cigarettes will be 'fire safe'.
Some people may be scratching their heads at this point and asking "what are "fire safe cigarettes"?
As usual, when it comes to all things tobacco, the altruistic nature of these
It will come as no surprise that these FS cigarettes started In Bloomberg's New York in 2004, that haven for your poor, huddled masses. Since then numerous states have adopted them and since then there have been much sickness amongst smokers who have no choice in whether to smoke them or not. The consequence in the USA, because not all states implement the law, there are tobacco tourists visiting neighbouring states who do not have that law. There are many more stories of people falling ill, just read these google links.
*Oh, did I fail to mention that the new directive from our EU benefactors is voluntary and the tobacco companies need not comply? Good of them eh...well no:
Although this is a voluntary standard, manufacturers have a strong incentive to comply, as the standard will provide a ‘presumption of safety’ for cigarettes manufactured within it. If a cigarette does not comply with the standard, member state authorities (in the UK, this would be Trading Standards) would be able to take action - such as withdrawing it from the market.You have been warned!
18 comments:
The Huffington post had a good article in March 2010 re RIPs and NY.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-brooks/fire-safe-cigarette-laws_b_519867.html
Do you know if Fire Safe chemicals will be flooded into rolling papers as well?
I think I'll have to devise a way of making my own if they are.
We used to do it years ago with the thin paper that used to be backed on the silver foil inside fag packets and glue one side with a tad of egg white.
If needs must I'll do it again but will need to find the right paper because the paper on silver foil in cigs went years ago.
I have also been meaning to blog about this and will asap because I think its scandalous.
I do agree that they are trying to make cigs as dangerous as they always said they were. They must kill smokers to make their rubbish true.
It's criminal that Govt is not protecting us from these fascist Nazis
Hi Pat,
I am not aware of the same interference on rolling papers, in fact I am pretty sure they are not covered by this legislation. Rollies go out by themselves because there is no accelerant in the papers now. Ready made cigarettes had accelerant chemicals added many years ago.
It is quite possible they could have got the same result simply by removing the accelerant.
Strange you should mention this BY. Only the other day I was saying there's something different in the content of my Silk Cut. Put it down in an ashtray for, sometimes less than a minute, and it goes out. I've noticed this for the past 4 weeks or so.
I don't like smoking 'ends' - mainly because they taste foul - so either I buy more or cut down. The manufacturers will hope the former of course. They should be brought to book for not informing their customers of the change.
@anon 12:51 interesting article that shows how toxic these 'fire safe' cigarettes can be.
Pat I was wondering the same thing as I smoke rollups all the time, in between the odd pipe or three. Yes it is scandalous and makes my blood boil. I was aware of them for years and was dismayed when we had our own cry babies hollering for the same thing here. Something must be done about this assault on our little enjoyments in life.
This is meant to cut down in the number of death due to fires and I question the statistics that say the introduction of FS fags would cut them in half. There was an article somewhere that says otherwise, need to look it up but I'm no good with statistics, fairy story ones or not.
Subrosa, didn't think they were in anywhere in the UK but soviet Scotland may have stollen a march and snuck them in...but I doubt it.
"take action - such as withdrawing it from the market"
An interesting new interpretation of voluntary.
This American says fires was on the wane long before these cigarettes came into being but the powers that be still went through with their implimentation.
During American Prohibition, their government deliberately poisoned alcohol supplies thinking that would stop people drinking it.
Unfortunately, hardly anyone knew they'd done it and the criminal gangs stealing the alcohol didn't care. Many people died.
I think I'll buy in a good stock of papers and practise with my pipe...
http://patnurseblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/govt-demands-cigarettes-must-kill.html
I have the same suspicions LI :(
European Union Pushes for Self-Extinguishing Cigarettes - 2008
"It is questionable whether technology and legislation are needed to solve the problem. As smokers know, cigars, pipe tobacco and hand-rolled cigarettes tend to go out on their own.
That's because regular cigarettes contain burning agents to keep them lit.
"The elimination of burning agents in cigarette paper would be a simple and effective means of dramatically reducing the ignition propensity of cigarettes," wrote Simon Chapman, a professor of public health at the University Sydney, in a 2004 Australian medical journal.
But if self-extinguishing cigarettes do become the mandatory EU norm, smokers may benefit financially.
After all a cigarette that burns down to the filter has to be replaced -- whereas one that goes out on its own can always be relit."
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,3540489,00.html
Previously
Public misled over fire-safe cigarettes - 2002
"The tobacco industry misled the public and legislators over cigarettes designed to pose less of a fire hazard, internal industry documents reveal. Manufacturers stated publicly that the cigarettes would not sell, even though their own research showed smokers could not tell them apart from regular cigarettes." - really?
126 comments including -
"These things are bad and are not fire safe. When they go out and you have to relite them they turn into a full fire flame and the ambers fly all over the place.
From a health point of view I have been sick from these fire safe things from day one. A severe cough, chest hurts with stabbing pain, sore throat and sinus issues.
I have never had these things before. I have gone to the doctors and put on very strong antibotics for the last 15 days and a inhaler. They have not helped at all. I still have these issues and they all started when I smoked these so called fire safe cigarettes.
I want to know what chemical is in these things and will the cigarette companies be looking at new LAW suits for killing more people because of the chemicals used in these so called fire safe death sticks."
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3192
Anon @8:26 a good comment here and you have given us much food for thought and deliberation.
Every smoker should know by now that the agent that keeps 'tailor made' cigarettes alight is Saltpetre which has been in Big Tobacco's favour for many, many years as they would want to see cigarettes burn as quickly as possible in the hope that you would light up another one soon after. Cigarette papers, on the other hand do not contain saltpetre, or in very low dozes, so you have the effect of 'roll your own' going out rather quickly but that does not stop us from rolling our own. On saying this I have no problem with tailor made cigs having the same effect, just curtail the Saltpetre, simples!
If cigarettes contain the disputed 4000 chemicals then why, oh why should the anti smokers want to add further chemicals other than to poison us with in the vain hope that smoking prevelance will stop overnight?
Most, if not all advoctes of 'fire safe' cigarettes must be in the pay of big pharma or big, and I mean big, anti tobacco charities who get the greater part of their funding from me and you, oh, and smokers. I'm talking tongue in cheek here.
The point I'm trying to make is that fire safe cigarettes is nothing else but a Tobacco Control sham that will make smokers feel Ill if not suicidal, rember Champix?
READ THE WHOLE OF THIS LETTER.
"Following the publication of both the CEN and BSI standard, policy colleagues in the UK Government and Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser in England (CFRA) have continued dialogue with the main UK tobacco manufacturers to ensure they have in hand plans to comply with the Standard. These meetings have been very positive and the manufacturers are on track to deliver compliance for all cigarette products at point of manufacture in advance of the publication of the Reference Standard on 17 November 2011."
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/fire-and-rescue-services/resources/firecirculars/DCOLS102011/Q/EditMode/on/ForceUpdate/on
What about fire safe candles
better still,fire safe cremations,
while we are at it,putting a few
nannies out of their smoke free misery.
Ferret Fancier
BY, you may doubt it but I know there has been some change in the way my cigarettes burn in the past couple of weeks. Have emailed Gallachers and await (maybe for some time) their reply.
THE WHOLE LETTER:
from:
Safer Communities Directorate
Fire and Rescue Services Division
Steven Torrie QFSM, Head of Fire and Rescue Advisory Unit
T: 0131-244 2342 F: 0131-244 2564
E: steven.torrie@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
abcdefghijklmnopqrstu
Chief Fire Officers (Scotland).
28 July 2011
Dear Chief Officer
DEAR CHIEF OFFICER (SCOTLAND) LETTER 10/2011
REDUCED IGNITION PROPENSITY (RIP) CIGARETTES - UPDATE
Introduction
1.
Dear Chief Officer (Scotland) Letter 15/2010 - Reduced Ignition Propensity Cigarettes Update, provided an update on the new Standard and Test Method for RIP cigarettes. I am now in a position to provide you with a further update on the good progress which has been made on this issue.
Background
2.
CEN (the EU standards making body) published the Safety Standard and Test Method on 17 November 2010, with Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) Referencing planned for 12 months from that date. This period is to allow manufacturers sufficient time to change the necessary manufacturing process to meet the new standard. The EU has said that the Standard will be referred to the OJEU on 17 November 2011. In parallel, the British Standards Institution (BSI) published the equivalent BS EN 16156 (Cigarettes Assessment of the ignition propensity) on 31 December 2010.
Current Update
3.
Following the publication of both the CEN and BSI standard, policy colleagues in the UK Government and Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser in England (CFRA) have continued dialogue with the main UK tobacco manufacturers to ensure they have in hand plans to comply with the Standard. These meetings have been very positive and the manufacturers are on track to deliver compliance for all cigarette products at point of manufacture in advance of the publication of the Reference Standard on 17 November 2011.
4.
The tobacco industry have advised that although every effort would be made to ensure there is ‘sell through’ of product lines before the Reference Standard takes effect, it may not be possible to guarantee all retailers stock would be compliant by the Reference date. The industry is working with their sales teams to inform retailers of the incoming standard, and the importance of ensuring that as much non-compliant stock is sold through by 17 November 2011.
5.
The industry expects to have achieved a complete sell through of non-compliant products by the end of summer 2012.
6.
My colleagues in CFRA are working closely with the General Product Safety and Better Regulation teams at the department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to understand how the new Reference Standard will be implemented. BIS’s standard practice is to communicate the existence of new standards through the Trading Standards Interlink to Local Authority Trading Standards departments on the date they take effect. This will confirm the UK Government’s expectation that all cigarettes sold in the UK and EU will comply with the new safety standard.
7.
As is normal with Reference Standards, this will be a light touch. BIS will not instruct nor expect Trading Standards to enforce the standard. It will be a matter for local Trading Standards to determine their role in any monitoring and enforcement activity.
Conclusion
8.
I would ask that you note the further good progress on this important issue and I will keep you informed of any future developments.
Yours sincerely
STEVEN TORRIE
Head of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Advisory Unit
St Andrew’s
to deliver compliance for all cigarette products at point of manufacture in advance of the publication of the Reference Standard on 17 November 2011.
Looks like you were right Subrosa as I take the above to mean that by the 17th of November 2011 all cigarettes sold will be doctored with fire safe chemicals. The tobacco companies will be restocking their outlets with these things as the undoctored cigs are sold.
I have not noticed this here in England as I smoke rollups but my wife smokes cigs. I have been buying her less cigs as I'm trying to wean her off them because her illness has her smoking a helluva lot more because she forgets she has just finished one. I will hope she stops by the next month as I don't want her feeling ill because of them.
What the effing hell is going on in this country? Why is it blindly following every EU ditcat???
THE FIRE SERVICE REPORT WAS RIGGED.
They used non Flame Resistant Foam which is banned in the UK and tried their hardest to get the results the Anti-Smokers wanted.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/fire/pdf/160414.pdf
"What the effing hell is going on in this country? Why is it blindly following every EU ditcat???"
Big Yin,because it seems "we" lobbied for it.
New 'fire-safe' cigarettes will put themselves out - 2007
"The European Commission is to ban traditional cigarettes by 2009-10, forcing smokers to buy 'fire-safe' cigarettes that need constant drags to keep them alight.
Arlene McCarthy, a British Labour member of the European Parliament and chair of its consumer protection committee, said: 'It's very good news.
It will save lives. At the moment some people come home, have had a few drinks, fall asleep on the sofa with a cigarette in their hand, it falls on to flammable material and the next thing you know you've got a fire. Fire-safe cigarettes greatly reduce the risk of that happening.'
"The commission has rejected claims from the tobacco industry that the new cigarettes will have little impact on fire-related deaths and injuries and that they will prove more toxic to smokers"
"Angela Smith, the Fire Minister at the Department of Communities and Local Government, has lobbied the commission on the UK's behalf to make the change."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/may/27/smoking.deniscampbell
Just as the TUC lobbied for a full smoking ban in 2005, just a few months after Labour had been re-elected but one year after they had quietly signed Britain up to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
I did wonder where their apparently sudden whim to ban smoking in pubs serving food magically sprang from.
"Unions and public health officers are urging MPs to back a total ban on smoking in public places, including pubs and clubs. The calls come after the government's decision last week to allow Labour MPs a free vote on the smoking ban proposals in the health Bill (Risks 239). The TUC has already called for a ban without exceptions."
http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-11271-f0.pdf
We were not even to be allowed herbal cigarettes.
Consultation on the Smokefree Elements of the Health Improvement and Protection Bill
TUC Response
"The TUC is concerned that the proposed definition will allow the smoking of herbal cigarettes. This could lead to people mixing tobacco with herbal mixtures to disguise the fact they are smoking tobacco.
In addition the smoke from many herbal mixtures is just as likely to trigger asthma attacks. While the evidence of harm relates only to tobacco at present, this is because no or little research has been done on the effects of herbal mixtures and we are surprised that the D of H is not taking a precautionary approach.
We would prefer the definition to cover tobacco and other herbal products.
If it is agreed to cover not only tobacco but also herbal products, we would support an exemption for the theatre, film and TV sectors for performers in cases where this is required for artistic purposes".
http://www.smokefreeaction.org.uk/archive/consultation%20submissions/TUCsubmission.html
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