Smoking & Safety

Cigarettes cause a number of fire deaths each year. If smokers don't handle their cigarettes properly, or if they allow their children to gain access to matches, there is a great risk of a home fire. If you smoke, be sure to take a few simple steps to avoid this life-threatening danger. You can also purchase fire-safe cigarettes to decrease the risk of a dangerous situation.

Smoking and Fire Deaths

• According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), more than 1,000 die each year from fires that started from smoking or smoking-related materials. These fires are preventable if proper precautions are taken. The USFA points out that it is not just the smoker that is at risk. One-in-four of the people killed in smoking-related fires were nonsmokers. One-third were children of the smokers, and one quarter were friends or neighbors of the smoker.

Prevention

• If you smoke or live with a smoker, there are a few keys to preventing fires in your home. The USFA says that the simplest step you can take is to smoke outdoors. If you are unable to make it outside to smoke, make sure to use sturdy ashtrays and double-check the cigarette butt to be sure it is extinguished once you stub it out.

Other Precautions

• The USFA points out that smoking in bed is a high-risk proposition. Your bed may have flammable materials like sheets and pillows that can catch fire if you leave your cigarette unattended. The USFA also warns that smokers who have been drinking, or who have taken medication that makes them drowsy should be especially vigilant. Make sure your cigarette is out before leaving it unattended.

Children and Matches

• The dangers that come from smoking aren't only due to the cigarette. Matches or a cigarette lighter are needed to ignite your cigarette. If these fall into the wrong hands, a potentially life-threatening fire can start. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 2006 saw 14,500 fires that were caused by children playing with matches or fire. These fires caused 130 deaths. If you smoke, be sure that your children know about the dangers of playing with matches, and that they can't gain access to your ignition source.

Fire-Safe Cigarettes

• The USFA recommends that you only purchase fire-safe cigarettes if you smoke. If you do have an accident, these cigarettes are rolled with banded paper that will cause the fire to self-extinguish if the cigarette is left unattended for too long. While these cigarettes are not 100% safe, they do decrease the risk that an accidental fire will ignite.