Smoking

The Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes, coordinated by NFPA, was a group of organizations who shared the goal of getting cigarette manufacturers to produce only cigarettes that adhere to an established safety performance standard. As of March 2010, all 50 US states passed such legislation and the coalition achieved its goal.

News release: Smoking-materials fire deaths drop to 30-year low

Safety tips

• If you smoke, smoke outside.
• Use deep, wide ashtrays on a sturdy table.
• Before you throw out butts and ashes, make sure they are out, and dousing in water or sand is the best way to do that.
• See all of NFPA's safety tips.

NFPA's Lisa Braxton has a few safety tips to keep in mind if you're a smoker.

Facts & figures

• In 2011, there were an estimated 90,000 smoking-material fires in the United States.These fires caused 540 civilian deaths, 1,640 civilian injuries and $621 million in direct property damage.
• One out of four fatal victims of smoking-material fires is not the smoker whose cigarette started the fire.
• Most deaths result from fires that started in bedrooms (40%), or in living rooms, family rooms or dens (35%).
• Nearly half (46%) fatal home smoking-material fire victims were age 65 or older.

Also see:

• Fact sheet on smoking materials (PDF, 161 KB).
• Changes in Origin in Home Structure Fires Started by Smoking Materials fact sheet (PDF, 278 KB)

Smoking safety messages in American Sign Language

In this presentation, safety tips are provided for the precautions that should be taken by people who smoke, where to smoke safely, and how to properly dispose of cigarettes.