Fire-safe cigarette legislation

By Mary Joseph, NEWS 9

Deadly and damaging fires caused by cigarettes have one lawmaker drawing up a new bill. He wants all cigarettes to be "fire-safe."

The Oklahoma City Fire Department said it's about time. If the bill becomes a law in Oklahoma, it could save lives.

"Fire-safe" cigarettes means they will stop burning if a smoker does not inhale.

"The Fire safe cigs have a little stop burner in them, so these things will burn for about a minute and then they will burn out," said Assistant Fire Marshal Chief Tim Adams.

The fire department said this could reduce the number of fire deaths in Oklahoma. Last year alone, nine people died in Oklahoma City from fires.

Representative Joe Dorman has pre-filed this bill. He is hoping it will not only reduce the number of house fires, but also wildfires from people tossing cigarettes out the window.

"Whenever someone throws one of these cigs out that while it could possibly cause a wildfire, there is no way to eliminate that completely, it will greatly decrease the odds of it catching fire," Dorman said.

Representative Dorman tells us he expects if this bill becomes law; the price of cigarettes would go up from 1 to 3 cents. He said he expects insurance to come down along with the amount of money spent on fire prevention in the state.