The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Self-snubbing, self-extinguishing, fire safe, fire safer, reduced ignition propensity: these are the words that have described cigarettes that are less likely to initiate a fire. “Self-snubbing” was the term of art in 1929 when U.S. Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers requested that the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) conduct research and develop a cigarette that would not cause fires. Three years later the NBS announced that such a cigarette had been developed. During the next 7 decades, various legislative attempts have been made at the state, national and international level to mandate cigarettes that would have a reduced ignition propensity. Currently, Canada and 3 states in the U.S. (with 2 states to follow by June 2006) have mandated fire safe cigarettes. This talk will detail the long history of the campaign for fire safe cigarettes and present information for future legislative efforts worldwide. Available and free technical support will be described.