New York Insurance

Austin - Careless smokers have a new protection against accidental fire to a house, thanks to the new fire cigarettes, a safe, the Texas market in the coming months.

The proceeds from the year 2007, legislation, cigarettes sold in Texas from 1 January 2009 are also groups less porous paper must be the result of a slow burning cigarette, it goes without saying that to remain silent .

Czech State Phil King, Republican of Weatherford, author of the fire safe cigarette bill, unless hopes random house fires. He believes that the legislation is to save lives.

“My body firefighters local marshal contacted me when the fire safe cigarette idea before the last meeting and told me, the way had saved many lives in other countries,” said the king in a prepared statement. “I started doing a little research and quickly realizes that there is no additional cost, and it was easy to implement. Begun I wonder why we are not already in force this law. ”

But Audrey Silk, a spokesman for one of the smokers of New York-based ‘Rights Group, said that if smokers cause house fire at random, it is often they are also drunk. And they said no safe cigarette fire prevents people to do stupid things when they drank.

“It gives you a false sense of security,” said Silk, founder of the group of New York City Citizens Lobbying against harassment smokers. “People are under the assumption that if smoking by itself, it is not concerned about this issue. But as far as I can tell, nor cigarettes can cause burns.

The new law, House Bill 2935, requires that new stores storage of cigarettes in early January. However, the State does not begin the implementation of legislation no later than January 1, 2010, so that retailers have the time to sell their existing stocks.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office, by the Texas Department of Insurance, is given responsibility for inspection and implementation.

The cigarettes were about 500 home fires and home fire by 10 deaths in Texas in 2006, the year that the figures available, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Forest fires caused by smoking also burned nearly 50000 hectares this year, according to the Insurance Council of Texas, an industry trade group.

The cigarettes of the new rule itself delete, as it wrapped in two or three groups of less porous paper. The bands act as “speed bumps”, slow down burning, after the Texas Department of Insurance.

But Silk, smokers’ Rights Group, said that the paper sometimes burning pieces falling from the new cigarettes. She said while smoking was one, it highlights the bingo-test near their toy fox terrier. She said the dog sat on their knees at this time.

“I started burning hair malodorous - a large flea market fell on his head,” said Silk. “He almost eyes!”

Silk also warned that the new cigarettes taste terrible.

“It changes the taste and people smoking, they said they toussais never in their lives, and now they started coughing,” she said.

A spokesman for Altria, the parent company of cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris USA, said the company would rather a single federal standard rather than different standards for lamps State safe cigarettes.

At least 20 other states have similar laws, he said.